Microbes, religion, and environmentalism in Japan

In this chapter, I examine how religious movements and environmental concerns have coalesced around the concern and care for microbes in Japan. One prominent example are Effective Microorganisms (EM) that are used in organic bokashi fertilizer, whose naming father, Higa Teruo, was affiliated with a religious organization called Church of World Messianity (sekai kyūsei kyō). Other religious groups have also developed sustainable agricultural and environmental practices around EM. As scientists and lay observers alike increasingly focus on microbes as the key to environmental, health, and other benefits, this chapter will shed light on a lesser understood role of religion in this trend.