Claim: A Facebook user, Wale Omolegbon Odusola, claimed that China and Japan have enacted laws banning Islam in their countries.
Verdict: Misleading. DUBAWA’s findings reveal that China and Japan did not ban Islam.
Full Text
On April 5, 2026, a Facebook user, Wale Omolegbon Odusola (archived link here), shared a post alleging that China and Japan have passed laws prohibiting Islam. Wale went on to encourage Nigeria to follow their example.
The post read, “GOOD NEWS: China and Japan have passed a law banning Islam in their country. According to the news. No more mosque, no more call to prayer, etc. Nigeria needs to look in that direction if we really need peace.”
As of April 13, 2026, the post had attracted over 1,000 comments, about 1,000 likes, and more than 70 shares.
Reacting to this, a Facebook user, Agbo Henry, wrote, “China know exactly what muslims can do, but they claim to be Iran’s ally, selling weapons to them. Fake allies.”
Dominic Ayua commented, “Nigeria should borrow a leaf.”
Abdulrazaq Shehu said, “Religion crisis only happens in Christians populated area, and why is that so?”
CR Rodryo doubted the claim, stating, “I have reported this post for fake news.”
DUBAWA fact-checked the claim due to its potential to trigger religious tension and unrest.
Verification
We reviewed reports from credible international media outlets, including BBC, Reuters, and AFP, and found no evidence to support the claim.
While China continues to implement its long-standing “Sinicisation” policies, designed to regulate and reshape Islamic practices to align with state ideology and cultural expectations, it has not banned Islam. These policies focus on control and adaptation rather than outright prohibition.
For example, a 2019 directive aimed to “Sinicise” Islam over a five-year period, which included modifying mosque architecture, restricting certain religious symbols such as domes, and limiting practices like fasting or wearing hijabs in some areas.
In 2024, authorities in Xinjiang introduced tighter regulations requiring mosques to adopt a “Chinese style” and restricting religious interpretations to align with national identity.
More recently, in March 2026, China enacted the Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress, scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026. The law promotes a unified national identity, prioritises the use of Mandarin, and encourages the assimilation of ethnic minorities, including Muslims. China does not prohibit Islam.
Similarly, checks by DUBAWA found no reports in international media indicating that Japan has banned Islam as of April 2026.
Article 20 of Japan’s Constitution guarantees freedom of religion for all individuals. A journal titled “2023 Report on International Religious Freedom: Japan” states that the government recognises and certifies over 180,000 religious organisations.
Part of the journal reads, “Muslim communities said Japanese society was generally tolerant of their faith. According to the Japan Uyghur Association (JUA) and the Uyghur Refugees Support Foundation (URSF), individuals connected with the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) continued to intimidate Uyghur Muslims residing in Japan. JUA and URSF stated the Japanese government generally showed willingness to protect Uyghur Muslims in the country and did not deport any to the PRC during the year. The government continued to grant special permits to stay on humanitarian grounds to most of the approximately 400 to 450 Rohingya Muslims who had entered the country on the basis of fear of ethnic and religious persecution in Burma, and to those who were born in Japan. “
Conclusion
The claim that China and Japan have passed laws banning Islam is misleading. There is no credible evidence to support the assertions. While China regulates religious practices through its “Sinicisation” policies, it has not outlawed Islam. Likewise, Japan’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and there are no laws prohibiting Islamic practice in the country.