An Adoption-Unfriendly Culture
It is hard to get across the beauty of adoption to Japanese people. Even in Japanese Bibles the word adoption cannot be found. In a non-verbal polite culture where honor is key, adoption brings up unshared thoughts of dishonor and shame.

Foreigners looking to adopt a Japanese child orphaned by the recent earthquake may be surprised to know their help, in that respect, is not wanted at the moment...
“Very few adoptions take place in Japan domestically and only about 30-34 last year internationally” despite having “about 400 children’s homes in the country and about 25,000 children approximately in those homes,” Defilipo told FoxNews.com. “Bloodlines are exceptionally important, so the whole idea of adopting or raising a child that’s not your own or isn’t part of your extended family is relatively unheard of.”

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Please pray for these orphans, and that Japanese Christians would get a vision for bearing the reproach, just as Christ did, for the sake of those in great need.