Tuesday 14 July 2015

AP PHOTOS: Muslims in Japan observe fasting month of Ramadan

In this July 11, 2015, photo, Yohei Matsuyama, second left, a Japanese Muslim, sits with other Muslim men as they break the Ramadan fast at the Japan Muslim Association in Tokyo. Japanese Muslims are observing the holy month of Ramadan, where the devoted believe that fasting is an exercise in self-restraint and intended to bring the faithful closer to God.
In this July 11, 2015, photo, Yohei Matsuyama, second left, a Japanese Muslim, sits with other Muslim men as they break the Ramadan fast at the Japan Muslim Association in Tokyo. Japanese Muslims are observing the holy month of Ramadan, where the devoted believe that fasting is an exercise in self-restraint and intended to bring the faithful closer to God.   

In this July 11, 2015, photo, Yohei Matsuyama, a Japanese Muslim and postdoctoral research fellow at Tokyo University, reads the Quran at Hira Mosque in Gyotoku, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo. Matsuyama, who converted to Islam at age 18, is also director of the Japan Muslim Association which estimates about 10,000 native Japanese Muslims live in the predominantly Shinto and Buddhist country.
In this July 11, 2015, photo, Yohei Matsuyama, a Japanese Muslim and postdoctoral research fellow at Tokyo University, reads the Quran at Hira Mosque in Gyotoku, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo. Matsuyama, who converted to Islam at age 18, is also director of the Japan Muslim Association which estimates about 10,000 native Japanese Muslims live in the predominantly Shinto and Buddhist country.  
In this July 11, 2015, photo, Yohei Matsuyama, a Japanese Muslim and postdoctoral research fellow at Tokyo University is silhouetted by a window as he looks at religious books at Hira Mosque in Gyotoku, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo. Matsuyama, who converted to Islam at age 18, is also director of the Japan Muslim Association which estimates about 10,000 native Japanese Muslims live in the predominantly Shinto and Buddhist country.
In this July 11, 2015, photo, Yohei Matsuyama, a Japanese Muslim and postdoctoral research fellow at Tokyo University is silhouetted by a window as he looks at religious books at Hira Mosque in Gyotoku, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo. Matsuyama, who converted to Islam at age 18, is also director of the Japan Muslim Association which estimates about 10,000 native Japanese Muslims live in the predominantly Shinto and Buddhist country.  
In this July 11, 2015 photo, Yohei Matsuyama, center, a Japanese Muslim and postdoctoral research fellow at Tokyo University, helps prepare food to break the Ramadan fast at the Japan Muslim Association in Tokyo. Japanese Muslims are observing the holy month of Ramadan, where the devoted believe that the fast is an exercise in self-restraint and intended to bring the faithful closer to God.
In this July 11, 2015 photo, Yohei Matsuyama, center, a Japanese Muslim and postdoctoral research fellow at Tokyo University, helps prepare food to break the Ramadan fast at the Japan Muslim Association in Tokyo. Japanese Muslims are observing the holy month of Ramadan, where the devoted believe that the fast is an exercise in self-restraint and intended to bring the faithful closer to God.  
In this July 11, 2015 photo, Yohei Matsuyama, a Japanese Muslim and postdoctoral research fellow at Tokyo University, poses for a photograph after praying at Hira Mosque in Gyotoku, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo. Matsuyama, who converted to Islam at age 18, is also director of the Japan Muslim Association which estimates about 10,000 native Japanese Muslims live in the predominantly Shinto and Buddhist country.
In this July 11, 2015 photo, Yohei Matsuyama, a Japanese Muslim and postdoctoral research fellow at Tokyo University, poses for a photograph after praying at Hira Mosque in Gyotoku, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo. Matsuyama, who converted to Islam at age 18, is also director of the Japan Muslim Association which estimates about 10,000 native Japanese Muslims live in the predominantly Shinto and Buddhist country.   
In this July 11, 2015, photo, Yohei Matsuyama, a Japanese Muslim, prays at Hira Mosque in Gyotoku, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo. Matsuyama, who converted to Islam at age 18, is also director of the Japan Muslim Association which estimates about 10,000 native Japanese Muslims live in the predominantly Shinto and Buddhist country.
In this July 11, 2015, photo, Yohei Matsuyama, a Japanese Muslim, prays at Hira Mosque in Gyotoku, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo. Matsuyama, who converted to Islam at age 18, is also director of the Japan Muslim Association which estimates about 10,000 native Japanese Muslims live in the predominantly Shinto and Buddhist country.  
In this July 11, 2015, photo, Muslim men break their fast with chopsticks as they eat "Gyudon", or Japanese beef bowl, at the Japan Muslim Association in Tokyo. Japanese Muslims are observing the holy month of Ramadan, where the devoted believe that fasting is an exercise in self-restraint and intended to bring the faithful closer to God.
In this July 11, 2015, photo, Muslim men break their fast with chopsticks as they eat "Gyudon", or Japanese beef bowl, at the Japan Muslim Association in Tokyo. Japanese Muslims are observing the holy month of Ramadan, where the devoted believe that fasting is an exercise in self-restraint and intended to bring the faithful closer to God.  
In this July 11, 2015 photo, the Quran translated to Japanese and other religious books are placed on a bookshelf at Hira Mosque in Gyotoku, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo. The Japan Muslim Association estimates about 10,000 native Japanese Muslims live in the predominantly Shinto and Buddhist country.
In this July 11, 2015 photo, the Quran translated to Japanese and other religious books are placed on a bookshelf at Hira Mosque in Gyotoku, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo. The Japan Muslim Association estimates about 10,000 native Japanese Muslims live in the predominantly Shinto and Buddhist country.  
In this July 11, 2015, photo, Muslim men, right, and women, left, are separated by a wall as they pray before breaking the Ramadan fast at the Japan Muslim Association in Tokyo. The Japan Muslim Association estimates about 10,000 native Japanese Muslims live in the predominantly Shinto and Buddhist country.
In this July 11, 2015, photo, Muslim men, right, and women, left, are separated by a wall as they pray before breaking the Ramadan fast at the Japan Muslim Association in Tokyo. The Japan Muslim Association estimates about 10,000 native Japanese Muslims live in the predominantly Shinto and Buddhist country.  
In this July 11, 2015, photo, Yohei Matsuyama, front, a Japanese Muslim and a postdoctoral research fellow at Tokyo University, prays at Hira Mosque in Gyotoku, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo. Matsuyama, who converted to Islam at age 18, is also director of the Japan Muslim Association which estimates about 10,000 native Japanese Muslims live in the predominantly Shinto and Buddhist country.
In this July 11, 2015, photo, Yohei Matsuyama, front, a Japanese Muslim and a postdoctoral research fellow at Tokyo University, prays at Hira Mosque in Gyotoku, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo. Matsuyama, who converted to Islam at age 18, is also director of the Japan Muslim Association which estimates about 10,000 native Japanese Muslims live in the predominantly Shinto and Buddhist country.   
In this July 11, 2015 photo, Yohei Matsuyama, a Japanese Muslim, prays as he waits to break his fast at the Japan Muslim Association in Tokyo. Japanese Muslims are observing the holy month of Ramadan, where the devoted believe that fasting is an exercise in self-restraint and intended to bring the faithful closer to God.
In this July 11, 2015 photo, Yohei Matsuyama, a Japanese Muslim, prays as he waits to break his fast at the Japan Muslim Association in Tokyo. Japanese Muslims are observing the holy month of Ramadan, where the devoted believe that fasting is an exercise in self-restraint and intended to bring the faithful closer to God.   
In this July 11, 2015, photo, Yohei Matsuyama, right, a Japanese Muslim, stands in front of his home with his daughter Ai, 8, in Gyotoku, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo. Matsuyama, who converted to Islam at age 18, is also director of the Japan Muslim Association which estimates about 10,000 native Japanese Muslims live in the predominantly Shinto and Buddhist country.
In this July 11, 2015, photo, Yohei Matsuyama, right, a Japanese Muslim, stands in front of his home with his daughter Ai, 8, in Gyotoku, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo. Matsuyama, who converted to Islam at age 18, is also director of the Japan Muslim Association which estimates about 10,000 native Japanese Muslims live in the predominantly Shinto and Buddhist country.  
In this July 11, 2015, photo, Yohei Matsuyama, a Japanese Muslim, reads a book in Arabic with his eight-year-old daughter Ai, at his home in Gyotoku, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo. Matsuyama, who converted to Islam at age 18, is also director of the Japan Muslim Association which estimates about 10,000 native Japanese Muslims live in the predominantly Shinto and Buddhist country.
In this July 11, 2015, photo, Yohei Matsuyama, a Japanese Muslim, reads a book in Arabic with his eight-year-old daughter Ai, at his home in Gyotoku, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo. Matsuyama, who converted to Islam at age 18, is also director of the Japan Muslim Association which estimates about 10,000 native Japanese Muslims live in the predominantly Shinto and Buddhist country.  
In this July 11, 2015, photo, Muslim men pray as they wait to break the Ramadan fast at the Japan Muslim Association in Tokyo. The Japan Muslim Association estimates about 10,000 native Japanese Muslims live in the predominantly Shinto and Buddhist country.
In this July 11, 2015, photo, Muslim men pray as they wait to break the Ramadan fast at the Japan Muslim Association in Tokyo. The Japan Muslim Association estimates about 10,000 native Japanese Muslims live in the predominantly Shinto and Buddhist country.
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