Sociological perspective of becoming a Muslim: Japanese Muslims

In this study, the phenomenon of conversion is analysed in the context of the experiences of Japanese Muslims. The aim of the research is to understand the process of converting to Islam and the experience of living as a Japanese Muslim in Japan, and to make a conceptual contribution to the conversion literature. The study is designed as a qualitative research in accordance with this aim, and the perspectives of both phenomenology and ground theory approaches, research techniques and data analysis methods are applied together. While trying to make sense of the conversion experiences of Japanese Muslims with the phenomenological method, it is also aimed to develop a theory with the grund theory approach. The research consists of a theoretical part and a fieldwork. In the theoretical part, conversion, identity, religion and religiosity in Japan, and the history of Islam in Japan are examined. A total of 2 years and 3 months, between September 2016 - December 2017 and February 2019 - January 2020, were spent in Tokyo, Japan for the fieldwork. Studies were conducted as a visiting researcher at Waseda University in Tokyo for 2 years and at Tokyo Mosque and Turkish Cultural Center for 3 months. Qualitative research data collection methods such as semi-structured interview, participant observation, field notes and documentation techniques were applied during the fieldwork. Many of the Japanese Muslims interviewed are from Tokyo, and some reside in other cities in Japan. The sample was formed by snowball and purposive sampling methods. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of 62 people, aged between 19 and 81, 32 women and 30 men. The events and activities of various mosques, masjids and associations, especially of the Tokyo Mosque and Turkish Cultural Center and the Japanese Muslim Association, were participated in order to make observations. Additionally, field notes were kept during these visits. Waseda University library and its resources were consulted for the literature research. The subjects examined within the scope of the main and sub-problems of the research are as follows: the way the Japanese encounter with Islam and Muslims; the process of becoming a Muslim; the motivations that lead them to the conversion; the effects of their past and socialization among the Japanese society on their conversion experience, their interpretation of Islam and their way of life; the effect of conversion on their identities and their relations with Japanese society; and finally the extent to which the conversion literature fits with the experience of Japanese Muslims. As a result, it has been determined that the first meaningful encounter of Japanese Muslims with Islam took place in the social context, mostly during work, education and travel, and mostly abroad. The Japanese, who were not seriously dissatisfied with their existing living conditions and beliefs before their encounter with Islam, and who were not in search of a new way of life and belief, began to be interested in Islam in different ways. There are four motivations behind their conversion decision: social, intellectual, psychological and pragmatic. After they became Muslims, they did not face a serious social reaction, did not experience an identity crisis, and did not have great difficulty in embracing and living their Japanese and Muslim identity simultaneously.