Japan Muslim Association

The Japan Muslim Association was initially founded in 1952 when 47 Japanese Muslims and scholars who were engaged during World War II in intelligence gathering work in Asian countries formed the "Society of Islamic Friends."{{Cite journal |last=Higuchi |first=Yuji |date=2005 |title=埋葬状況からみた在日ムスリムコミュニティ |trans-title=Muslim community in Japan, from a perspective of form of the burial |url=https://seijo.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_uri&item_id=950&file_id=18&file_no=1J |journal=Jomin Bunka |volume=28 |pages=43–69}}{{Cite web |last=Hirahata |first=Tsunehiro |date=2018-07-18 |title=日本初のムスリム霊園、実は山梨だった！ 建設の裏、奇跡のお告げ |trans-title=Japan’s first Muslim cemetery, actually in Yamanashi! Behind the construction, a miracle revelation |url=https://withnews.jp/article/f0180718001qq000000000000000G00110601qq000017488A |access-date=November 3, 2022 |website=Asahi Shimbun}} In 1953, it was renamed to the current "Japanese Muslim Association." Since 1957, the Association has sent Muslims to Islamic universities such as the Al-Azhar University in Egypt, and in 1959, it launched the official bulletin, the Voice of Islam. In 1968, the Association was registered as a religious corporation. The number of members during this period was about 60, according to the Voice of Islam. In 1961, the Muslim Students Association was founded with Muslim international students as its core members, and in 1963, the Association for Islamic Studies in Japan was established as an academic society.

In 2009, the Association was invited to an Iftar (dinner to end Ramadan fasting) held at the Kuwaiti Embassy in Tokyo.{{Cite web |title=東京、9月11日 駐日クウェート大使、IFTAR（イフタール）断食打破夕食会を主催する |trans-title=Kuwaiti Ambassador holds Iftar for Muslim community in Tokyo September 11, 2009 |url=http://www.kuwait-embassy.or.jp/E_news_20090911.html |access-date=November 3, 2022 |website=Embassy of the State of Kuwait in Japan |archive-date=November 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221120002348/http://www.kuwait-embassy.or.jp/E_news_20090911.html |url-status=dead }} In 2015, the Association joined other Islamic organizations and mosques in Japan in support of the Nagoya Mosque's request to the Japanese mass media to change their use of the term Islamic State for the ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) to something else.{{Cite web |date=2015-02-01 |title=連名による要望：「イスラム国」という名称の変更を希望します |trans-title=Joint Petition: Request to Change the Name, "Islamic State" |url=https://nagoyamosque.com/3166.html |access-date=November 3, 2022 |website=Nagoya Mosque}} In 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Association collaborated with more than 30 Islamic organizations and groups, such as Islamic Center Japan and Hokkaido Islamic Society, to avoid Ramadan gatherings and for Imams (Islamic leaders of prayer in mosques) to hold online classes for Muslims.{{Cite web |last=Azhari |first=Khaldon |date=2020-04-23 |title=日本のムスリムがラマダンの集会を回避へ |trans-title=Japanese Muslims to avoid Ramadan gatherings |url=https://www.arabnews.jp/article/japan/article_13518/ |access-date=November 3, 2022 |website=Arab News Japan |publisher=Saudi Research and Publishing Company}}

The Japan Muslim Association publishes various religious texts, such as the Qur’an and Tafsir, available upon inquiry with shipping fees.

File:Enzan Islamic Graveyard 01.JPG

In 1963, the Japan Muslim Association purchased the land of a Buddhist temple, Monjuin, and in 1969, with the approval of Yamanashi Prefecture, it established Japan's first Muslim cemetery in Enzan city, covering 85,400 square feet in nine sections. It has been in operation to this day.{{Cite web |date=2010-10-18 |title=日本のイスラム教徒永眠の地は 土葬の墓、住民ら反発 |trans-title=The final resting place of Japanese Muslims is a burial grave. Residents protest |url=https://okurapi-ya.hatenadiary.org/entry/20101018/1287356468 |access-date=November 3, 2022 |website=Asahi Shimbun}} In 2000, the burial plots were expanded in response to the increase in the number of Muslims in the country. Initially, this cemetery was established as a cemetery for Muslims from all over the world, but the Association changed the name to a Cemetery for Japanese Muslims.

Halal refers to sanctioned activities (e.g., promises, contracts, jobs) and objects (e.g., food, drinks, cosmetics) under Islamic law. Under it, eating pork is prohibited, and other food products must be processed and cooked by designated methods. Foods that comply with these rules are considered Halal. In Japan, halal foods were mainly sold at grocery stores for Muslims in the country, but in recent years, restaurants that provide halal food have also appeared. In addition, responding to the recent increase in the number of international students from Islamic countries, some universities (e.g., Tohoku University, Kyushu University, University of Yamanashi, and the International University of Japan) have begun to add Halal food to their student cafeteria menus. According to the National Federation of University Co-operative Associations, as of 2014, at least 19 university co-ops in Japan serve halal food.{{Cite web |date=2014-05-29 |title=イスラム学生も安心、学食でも「ハラール」食 |trans-title=Muslim students can enjoy halal food in school cafeterias |url=https://halaljapan.jp/halalnews140530-2-1244.html |access-date=November 3, 2022 |website=Yomiuri Shimbun}}

Japan Muslim Association is accredited by the international halal certification bodies, such as the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia, Indonesia's Majelis Ulama Council Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Inspection Agency,{{Cite journal |last=Murakami |first=Yuya |date=2016 |title=輸出に向けたイスラーム食品市場の概観:～醸造食品におけるハラール対応の留意点を踏まえて～ |trans-title=An overview of the Islamic food market for export: Based on halal compliance considerations for brewed foods |url=https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jbrewsocjapan/111/11/111_728/_article |journal=Journal of the Japan Brewers Association |volume=111 |issue=11 |pages=728–735 |access-date=November 3, 2022}} and Cosmetics, and Islamic Religious Council of Singapore.{{Cite book |last=World Economy Research Group |title=「いま」の日本が知っておくべきアジア情勢 |publisher=PHP Research Institute |year=2015 |isbn=978-4-569-82431-4 |pages=123 |trans-title=The Asian Situation That Japan Should Know Now}}{{Cite web |title=主なハラル（ハラール）認証団体 |trans-title=Major halal certification organizations |url=https://jhba.jp/halal/organ/ |access-date=November 6, 2022 |website=Japan Food Barriers Association}} Of these, the only domestic halal certification body in the food sector certified by the Indonesian Ulama Council is the Japan Muslim Association as of 2014.{{Cite journal |last=Kono |first=Takuichi |date=February 2017 |title=ハラール認証と日本の食品企業・地域農業の付加価値戦略 |trans-title=Halal certification and value-added strategies of Japanese food industry and local agriculture |url=https://eprints.lib.hokudai.ac.jp/dspace/handle/2115/67532 |journal=Frontier Agricultural Economics Research |publisher=Hokkaido Agricultural Economics Association |volume=20 |issue=1 |pages=33–44 |access-date=November 6, 2022}} The Association also has a partnership with the Kyoto Halal Council, a local halal certification organization in Kyoto City.{{Cite web |title=よくある質問 |trans-title=Frequently asked questions |url=http://halal.kyoto.jp/question/ |access-date=November 6, 2022 |website=Kyoto Halal Council}}

Source:{{Cite book |title=創立50周年記念 協会小史 |publisher=Japan Muslim Association |date=2004-03-28 |pages=3–11 |trans-title=Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary: Short History of the Association}}

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Category:Islam in Japan