Fake Christian Priests of Japan – A Booming Business

Konichi wa and a gracious good day to you. May your day be blessed and all good things come unto you throughout the day. Let us begin with a huge mug of coffee and a heavenly virtual treat, shall we? Okay...now that I've set the tone for today, read on...

Christians make up only 1.4% of Japan’s 127 million population, but Western “white weddings” now account for around three quarters of all bridal ceremonies, which means Christian priests are in high demand. To meet their clients’ expectations bridal companies have given up on trying to find ordained ministers and have kept requirements to a minimal – men looking foreign-enough to pass as Christians who can speak a little Japanese and perform the ceremony in 20 minutes.

Japan’s love affair with Christian wedding is believed to have started in the 1980s with the televised weddings of Prince Charles and Lady Diana and was fueled by the nuptials of Japanese pop star Momoe Yamaguchi. People, women especially, were attracted by the idea of celebrating their marriage through a ritual that revolved around love and that elevates the bride to the status of princess even for a short while. 

Traditional Shinto weddings, on the other hand, encase women in a wig and kimono, and are focused more on the merger of two families. The Japanese simply  fell in love with the sharp dress code, the kiss and the overall image of Western weddings over their centuries-old traditions. But in order to have a genuine-looking ceremony, they wanted Christian priests, which were pretty hard to find. 

That started the now famous “foreign fake pastors” trend that saw companies and hotels hiring average foreign gentlemen with minimal knowledge of the Japanese language to perform Christian weddings.

"Nong! We're moving to Japan. I know we just moved here from Thailand but they need my help in Japan. What do you mean...I don't think so?"

Here I am retired and holding legal ordination documents and people in Japan are having to get 'fake' priests to marry them? I've got to think about this...maybe a once a month one-week holiday in Tokyo and other cities...all expenses paid plus a nominal (but not too nominal) fee per marriage performed and Bob's your uncle...not to mention your minister, eh. 'Marriages performed and consummated!'  That'll be my motto...being ever helpful, I mean!

See ya, eh!

Bob