by Jean-Jacques COURTEY, Doctor in Economic Geography, Ph. D
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Japan is not considered as a Christian country. Its two main religions are Shintoism and Buddhism.
Generally, it is seen as a rather materialistic country, a land of intelligent cars, robots and high-tech with a small touch of Zen. Visitors also appreciate the multiplicity of its wonderful sites, like Ise, or Japanese Alps, for instance.
But for a normal family, it has to be quoted that everyday life over there can be very expensive (housing, education of children, transportation...).
And it's abnormally hard for a woman to become mother when working, because of the unfair nonsense of "Matahara" practiced by bosses, women bosses included as stalkers !
When a country is dying because of the lack of babies, it's not that smart to act against the survival of the country on a long trend. There is no link between treating women better and becoming eventually a republic.
At last, behind the modern myth of a huge middle class, poverty and exclusion can easily appear to travelers who open their eyes, and not only in Tokyo and Osaka. If some old people are OK with their android or gynoid robots looking after them, a lot of aged people are neglected.
The Virgin of Akita, whom manifestations started from 1973 to 1981, has been called "Our Lady of all Nations". Then, the world is seen as only one, in its globality.
Catholics are only representing 0.5% of Japanese population, and alltogether with Protestants or assimilated groups, Christians are only reaching the very low percentage of 1% !
Thus, it may look illogical at first, that Mary the Virgin spoke out with a tender voice over there in the North of Honshu, for the first time on July 6th, 1973. Anyhow, it has to be noticed Akita is not so far from Sendaï and Fukushima - which are in the same district of Tôhoku.
If the cult of Mary the Virgin is central in Catholicism, it's not the case for Protestantism. The latter only recognizes the cult of Jesus Christ.
In Japan, it is easier to become Catholic for instance, when you were practicing any religion or if you're Shintoist or a Buddhist Zen, than if you are member of any its new exclusive religions.
They like to be invited regularly by the Pope in Assise (Italy), to be recognized worlwide ; but in exchange, they don't accept much sudden wills of conversion to Christianity from some of their adepts - especially women.
The Revelation ("Apocalupsis" in Greek) of Akita, is in fact a serial of several messages similar to the ones of Fatima in Portugal (1917), followed by insisting and repeated cries.
Its originality is lying in the fact, that for the first time the third message of Fatima (October 13th, 1917), has been openly uncovered in full on the same birthday date (October 13th, 1973). And above that, it has been completely acknowledged by Vatican, through Cardinal Ratzinger in 1988, so before he became Pope Benedict XVI (2005 - 2013).
This Revelation is in fact a serious warning against "bad priests" and "their followers", who are in reality working for "the Devil". The signs of their malevolence are the vexations they are inflicting deliberately, to the good souls devoted to God. And the "bad scientists", or more simply "bad people" who try to entrap others are regarded in the same way by Mary the Virgin.
The first witness of the Akita's Virgin talks and cries in the convent of Akita, was Sister Agnès Sasagawa Katsuko (born on May 28th, 1931). She was actually deaf, but a miracle happened and she found the hearing.
After the three messages given to her by a wooden statue of Mary the Virgin in 1973, there was also a long serial of renewed tears. This wooden statue cried, and cried again and again on a very long period of more than six years, from January 4th 1975 till September 15th, 1981 : she meant those tears to be a strong warning for the great chastisement to come on Earth, if human beings stayed malevolent and bad towards each other.
It doesn't seem that enough people took on account those manifestations seriously, except the Catholic Church in Tôhoku and the Vatican.
Some people yet realized something unusual and terrible was happening, after the huge seism of Sendaï area (above the maximum of 9 in the scale of Richter), followed by a gigantic tsunami, and the appaling nuclear catastrophe of Fukushima Daiichi which ensued from March 11th, 2011. Strangely, those calamities didn't affect the convent of Akita, which was miraculously protected.
At the difference of Jesus - if following the very personal interpretation of Saint Paul about redemption, of course -, his mother declared that no forgiving will be given this time to the aforementioned sinners : they will be stricken by the fire of heaven in the name of the Father, and even survivors on Earth will envy the Dead !
Of course, nobody knows exactly when this has - or had - to happen, but Mary the Virgin seemed to indicate from 1973 it was far near than human beings would have thought, and then more than simply imminent. Or more unexpectedly, it has already started, and it must happen in several times, and not at once. Hence, it might already concern humanity's present or recent period !
It is possible that Mary the Virgin chose Japan, because of its majestuous landscapes, its excellent cooking, and its family-oriented way of life, to point out young people don't marry so much nowadays.
Another possibility could be she wanted Japan to wake up, and to remember another important female figure, the beautiful Goddess Amaterasu (Sun Goddess) !
However, the choice of a non-Christian country this time, must surely follow a certain design concerning women rights and even old people rights, or else it would be meaningless.
Don't forget the first sovereigns of the Kingdom of Wa (antic name of Yamataï, the core of Japan), were women, like the Queen-Priestess Himiko, friend of the Chinese Kingdom of Wei !
Anyhow, the only attitude admitted from human beings, by Our Lady of all Nations, is to amend themselves right now and stop being malevolent. And this will of a renewed benevolence applies obviously, not only in Japan, the Great Car Building Nation, but also on a more global way, on whole Earth.
To conclude on a positive note, Akita's Virgin underlined the tremendous importance of the recitation of the rosary for salvation !
