Converts:— Muslim communities in Japan often have extremely warm relations with Japanese converts to Islam.[21] For instance, Ibrahim (Ken) Okubo was one such native convert in need of support, who by his mid-thirties was jobless, and needed help and counceling to get through what is very unusual for a person of his age to go through.[21] They counselled him through all thirty-five of his job-offers before he finally managed to land himself a job after six months.[21] He was not a new convert, but had first converted over to the faith in his early twenties.[21] His employer was even kind enough to allow him to practice his five daily prayers (out of which it should be noted only two clash for a couple of minutes on his work day).[21] Another convert, Ogawara Hiromasa, adopted Islam on the basis that his Pakistani friend always had had a positive outlook, which was put down to his his faith; also noting "[t]hings are more relaxed in the world of Islam".[21] However, it should be noted that although these were men, Japanese converts still remain overwhelmingly women married to foreign Muslim partners.[24][n. 9] Those Japanese women that do convert often have to reconcile their own traditions with those that are Islamic;[24] given the fact that most of these women are married to South Asian, Iranian or Central Asian Muslims.[24] Women converts often also face challenges from their own families, with members frequently ostracizing them, and their friends alienating them.[24] Foreigners normally do attract a lot of Japanese women; however they have a strong perception and identity regarding gender roles; and require their husbands to be the breadwinners in their society.[25]

Japanese Muslim man in religious-wear.