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Paper short abstract:

Religion-related convictions represent a common reason for vaccine hesitancy. Interviews with 32 women affiliated with 3 Japanese new religious organisations reveal no associations between religious belonging and vaccine hesitancy, derived instead from the ‘good mother’ ideology.

Paper long abstract:

Among the reasons underlying vaccine hesitancy, religion-related convictions probably represent the commonest. This paper focuses on Japan, a country that, in comparative terms, might be referred to as very secular in that a large majority of Japanese do not identify themselves as members of one particular religious group or as professing a particular faith. Against this backdrop, this qualitative investigation looks at a small population of 32 women affiliated with three Japanese new religious organisations (Shinnyoen, Sōka Gakkai, and GLA) along with 8 female Catholic believers belonging to the Roman Catholic Church of Japan. Preliminary results show that a media-driven sense of urgency and pressure on any religious community and organisation in Japan to respond promptly by implementing safety measures triggered a social mobilisation campaign among religious affiliates to affirm the commitment to comply with government policies and directives, also aligning with the national goal toward vaccination. In this context, local religious influencers have been involved through announcements in their temples, churches and social networks about immunisation sessions and sites, also mentioning immunisation significance during collective religious events. On the other hand, vaccination hesitancy prevails among pregnant women and mothers of young children, who feel pressure on their motherhood and childcaring roles tied to hegemonic ideals of the ‘good mother’ as one who is natural and holistic, thus protecting herself and her child from toxins and unnatural chemicals in the form of vaccines. In this case, religious organisations support such construct and prioritise mothers’ hesitancy toward vaccination. In conclusion, this study found no associations between vaccine hesitancy and religious belonging. Social mobilisation driven by a need to build a trustful public image directs new religious organisations to promote vaccination behaviours and comply with government policies and directives. On the other hand, ideologies of motherhood seem to relate to vaccine refusal, which the religious organisations also support, thus showing that beliefs and values in such a social construct, rather than religious faith, impact women’s safety and health behaviours for themselves and their children.