The Puzzle of Japanese Views on Religion: Modifying the Church and Sect Model and Applying ISSP 2018 Data

While most Japanese people conduct religious practices, they also do not believe in religion. This study attempts to explain this puzzle of Japanese views on religion by modifying the church and sect model to specify the relationships between lifestyles (or behavior) and religion. I also estimated the modified church and sect model parameters by applying ISSP 2018 data. The results demonstrate a lifestyle gap between those who believe in a specific religion and those who do not. This indicates that Japanese people recognize their religious identity with differences in lifestyle (e.g., attending worship every Sunday). Comparing the results from the US data, the major religion in the two countries may be crucial and work as a starting point.