Skip to main content

Religious Corporation

In Japan, religious groups are able to register themselves with the Japanese government as a Religious Corporation (宗教法人). Many Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, Christian churches, and missionary organisations are registered in this way.

YWAM Japan currently has registered with one Religious Corporation under the name of 世界青年宣教会 (Sekai Seinen Senkyokai). A majority of YWAM ministries within Japan are members of this Religious Corporation.

All YWAM ministries and locations within Japan (both exisitng and pioneering) are recommended to either become a member of this existing Religious Corporation, or to create a new one.

Benefits​

The benefits of YWAM ministries and locations being registered as a Religious Corporation include:

  • Having legal protection
  • Being able to rent or purchase property or other assets as YWAM
  • Being tax exempt when purchasing land or property as YWAM
  • Being able to issue and renew Religious Activities Visas
  • Being able to open bank accounts as YWAM

Existing Religious Corporation​

Requirements of Joining​

The requirements of being a member of the existing Religious Corporation include:

  • Adhering to all of the rules and requirements of the Religious Corporation (this can be shared with you upon request)
  • Working with the Religious Corporation's National Office when it comes to legal matters
  • Keeping correct record of finances using specific accounting software and submitting those records to the Religious Corporation's National Office once a year
  • Keeping receipts for at least 10 years
  • Sending at least 1,000 yen staff fee per OpLoc/Ministry staff member to the Religious Corporation's National Office, as well as 5% of all ministry income
  • Applying for Certificate of Eligibilities for new staff, working with the Religious Corporation's National Office and Japanese Immigration
  • Attending General Meetings in order to vote on budgets and other legal matters (around twice per year, usually online)
  • Updating the Religious Corporation's National Office on any staff changes (incoming staff, outgoing staff, visa renewals, address changes etc.)

Joining​

In order for your ministry to join the existing Religious Corporation, we have the following process.

Please note: We have created this process in order to prioritise relationship over merely a legal process, and to ensure all members of the legal entity fully understand its requirements and expectations. Please get in touch with us for more information, or to ask any questions.

1 Establish Relationship with an Overseeing YWAM Japan Ministry/OpLoc​

Find an existing Religious Corporation member ministry or location (preferably closest to where you would like to pioneer), share your vision with them, and start building relationship with them. Ask them about overseeing your team in Japan (helping you build relationship with YWAM Japan, keeping you accountable, and assisting you with legal matters).

If you are being sent from a YWAM base overseas, you may be asked to set up a meeting between your sending base and the overseeing ministry or location in Japan.

If this is your first time coming to Japan, you may be recommended to join their team (or another) for a period in order to help orient you to the culture and YWAM Japan. You can discuss this with them.

2 Religious Corporation Integration​

Your overseeing location will set up a meeting for you to speak with the Religious Corporation's National Office in order to discuss details on integrating your ministry into the Religious Corporation officially.

Creating a New Religious Corporation​

It is healthy for YWAM in Japan to be registered as many different legal entities. Most of these will likely be Religious Corporations.

Up until now, YWAM in Japan has functioned as part of one Religious Corporation. There are multiple reasons for this, with one being it is not easy to start new Religious Corporations in Japan. But as God grows YWAM in Japan, we do desire to establish multiple legal containers.

Requirements of Creating a New Religious Corporation​

The process is a long and complex one. Here are some of the necessary requirements a YWAM ministry or location should keep in mind if they wish to create a new Religious Corporation:

  • Have records of funtioning as a religious group for at least three years (staff meeting notes and pictures help with this!)
  • Own a property
  • Have regular worship or prayer times that are open to the public in the owned property

There are many other requirements, but these are some of the main ones to keep in mind. It is worth also building relationship with the official representatives of the Ministry of Culture in your city or prefecture, talking with them about the process.