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14 August, 2008 11:57 PM
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Newsletter
No. 22
AN AMERICAN MUSLIM IN JAPAN: ASMA GULL HASAN The following newsletter has been received from Toyoko Morita (Shingetsu Member No. 12). Ms. Morita is a specialist on the topic of Muslim immigrant workers in Japan. Her work has been published in three languages: English, Japanese, and Persian. She has also done interesting fieldwork in both Japan and in Teheran. She currently works as a lecturer at both Osaka University of Foreign Studies and Kagoshima University. The Japan Times of June, 18, 2005, reported that Asma Gull Hasan had given a lecture about Muslims in the U.S. and Japan last week. She is the author of two books, “American Muslims: The New Generation” (the title of the Japanese version is “Watashi wa America no Islam Kyoto”) and “Why I am a Muslim: An American Odyssey.” She described herself to the Japan Times as an all-American girl who is not afraid to state her opinion and a feminist who opts not to wear a hijab. If you view her homepage, you may feel that it really is true. She said “We were sort of under the radar (before the September 11 attacks). Nobody noticed us.” The attacks put Muslims in a difficult situation, but she said that it has motivated many Americans to learn about Islam. On the other hand, it seems that Muslims in Japan are still under the radar. Even after the September 11 attacks, few books are written by Muslims in Japan. Don’t people in Japan want to hear about Islam from Muslims themselves? Actually some books and articles about Muslims in Japan have been published recently, for example “Nihon no Muslim Shakai” (Japan’s Muslim Society) by Keiko Sakurai. However, it is still difficult to find books and articles about Muslims in Japan like Hasan in U.S. There are about 100,000 Muslims in Japan now, according to the Japan Muslim Association. Perhaps they may have their own opinions about the situation of Muslims in Japan. It is not enough only to hear the opinions of a Muslim in the U.S. We have to hear from Muslims living here in Japan as well. Inshallah, the time will come. Sources Japan
Times Article: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20050618f2.htm
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