Why Do Japanese Insist on Calling Themselves “Non-religious“?

“Out of all the videos I’ve made, this is the one I’ve put the most effort into making...“ If you ever ask a Japanese person about their religion, I bet that most people (including myself) would answer that they don’t practice any religions. According to a survey taken in 2018 by the ISSP (International Social Survey Programme), about 62% of Japanese people answered that they don’t have a religion they believe in. As I’ve explained in my video about the philosophies of the tea ceremony, talking about religions is considered a taboo in Japan in the first place, along with topics about money and politics. But doesn’t it seem like a contradiction that most Japanese still do the new year’s greetings (and many other ceremonies) at shrines, funerals at temples, weddings at churches, and even celebrate Christmas, Valentines, and Halloween?