Determinants of Islamic beliefs and practices among Muslim migrants in Japan

Hiroshi Kojima, Faculty of Social Sciences, Waseda University

This study analyzes the determinants of Islamic beliefs and practices of Muslim migrants in Tokyo Metropolis, applying logit models to the micro-data from the Social Survey of Muslim Population in Japan 2005/2006. The preliminary analysis shows that the faith became both stronger and weaker in Japan among migrants having entered Japan between 2000 and 2004. It became stronger among managers and employees, but weaker among high-school graduates and inhabitants of public housing. The Islamic rules are very strictly observed among migrants in their 30s and those who entered Japan between 1990 and 1994 and between 2005 and 2006. The frequency of prayer services in Mosque/prayer room is more likely to be once or twice or more per week among migrants in their 30s and twice or more per week among inhabitants of public housing, but less likely to be twice or more per week among Indonesians, the self-employed and employees.