The first mosque in Fujisawa, Japan, which is actually a cultural center, will be larger than the nearby Shinto Shrine, which is actually three shrines. Protesters are attracting many sympathizers with their view. They see the mosque as an “act of provocation” against Japanese culture.
The rapid growth of the Muslim population has created fear of losing their culture. The mosque has been approved, but residents continue to protest.
According to estimates by Professor Emeritus Hirofumi Tanada of Waseda University, the number of Muslims in the country reached approximately 420,000 by the end of 2024. This marks a substantial increase from around 110,000 in 2010.
There is also significant concern about Islamists failing to integrate into Japanese culture.
Chants included, “We don’t want a single mosque or Muslim cemetery here!”
🚨 🇯🇵 Japan : Thousands gathered to protest the construction of the first mosque in Fujisawa. The proposed mosque would be much larger than the nearby Shinto shrine, an act of provocation.
“We don’t want a single mosque, or Muslim cemetery here!” pic.twitter.com/MlwvVmQ4WF
— Wolf 🐺 (@PsyGuy007) May 9, 2026
Protesters are dismissed as “extremists” and “nativists.”
Extremists staged a protest against the construction of a mosque.
Slogans were raised against a mosque and a Muslim cemetery in Fujisawa Japan. Thousands of local residents have staged large-scale protests against the construction. pic.twitter.com/8WX12hVlqX
— imranzeemi (@imranzeemi) April 14, 2026