Formation and Development of the Modern Concept of "Religion" and Religious Studies : Comparative Study Centering around Japan

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This study has elucidated the fact that current concept of "religion" used worldwide and the academic discipline of religious studies are the product of a specific histolorical situation, and has examined the various problems related to this fact. The modern Japanese word "shukyo" was invented after Meiji Restoration as the translation of the Western "religion" and then accepted by the wider public. We have investigated the process in which the modern Japanese political and ideological system has developed with great conflicts and confusions as to what should be called "religion" and what not. We must ask the relationship between "religion(shukyo)" and neighbouring words such as "rite(saishi)" or "indoctrination(tikyo)", and related words such as "State Shinto" in order to grasp the peculiarities of the Japanese concept of religion. On the other hand the concept of "religion" has now become suspect also in the West. It has been argued that the Western concept of "religion" was formed under a certain specific thought pattern. Related issues have been vigorously raised regarding the difficulties involved using this concept in connection with the critical examination of the discipline of religious studies. We have also investigates the situation in the various parts of Asia. There, too, we can find growing awareness that the concept of "religion" does not fit well for their respective cultural and historical situation. Comparison with the Japanese situation has been proved to be very productive. Overall it has become much clearer that the concept of "religion" contains many ambiguities making the object of the discipline of religious studies growingly confusing and uncertain. Through this study we have become convinced that the methodological question of religious studies has now been becoming more and more urgent.