日本的政教關係與界線－－過去與現在

The Relations and Demarcations between State and Religions in Japan: Past and Present

在日本，「政教分離」是一項重要的憲政原則。根據此一原則，國家在宗教事務上應該保持中立以避免增進或是壓抑任何宗教。然而在事實上，將宗教從公共場合中完全分離出來是不可能的事情。在日本，許多的宗教禮儀已經成爲社會習俗。這些宗教禮儀包括如新年到神社或佛寺的「初詣」、成年式、帶三歲與五歲的男孩和三歲與七歲的女孩到神社或佛寺的一種通過禮儀（七五三）與依照神道或佛教規則的喪禮等等。政府的行事若涉及這些具有宗教傳統的社會習俗雖然是被允許的，但是要如何分辨社會習俗與宗教禮儀間的區別並非易事，許多的司法與社會上爭議因而產生，本文試著從政教關係的歷史與變遷來探討此一議題。

In Japan, the separation of state and religion is an important principle in the Constitution. According to the principle, the state should remain neutral in religious matters in order to avoid advancing or suppressing any religion. In fact, however, it is impossible to separate religion from public square completely. Many religious ceremonies have become social customs in Japan. These religious ceremonies include the practice of visiting a temple or shrine in the New Year, the coming-of-age ceremony, the tradition of taking three-and five-year-old boys and three-and seven-year-old girls to a shrine or temple for a rite of passage (Shichi-go-san), the funeral which is conducted in accordance with Shinto rules or Buddhist rites and so on. The government actions may be permitted to involve the social customs with religious tradition, but it is difficult to distinguish a social custom from a religious ceremony. This issue has caused many legal and social controversies. This article intends to study this issue from history and change of the relations between State and Religious.