Japan builds mobile mosques for 2020 Olympic Games

A Tokyo Sports and Cultural events company YASU has decide to build mobile mosques to make visiting Muslims feel at home during the 2020 Olympic Games, which will be hosted in the Japanese capital city.

According to the CEO of YASU, Yasuharu Inoue, there is a large possibility that there might not be enough mosques for Muslims visitors during the Tokyo Games.

Mobile Mosque launches as Japan prepares for 2020 Olympics pic.twitter.com/twUGn0yFTY

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Even with an estimated 200,000 Muslims currently living in Japan, most of them in Tokyo, there are not too many mosques in the capital.

MOSQUE ON WHEELS

Mr Inoue said his company’s mobile mosque could travel to different Olympic venues to provide Muslims with a place of worship during the tournament.

“As an open and hospitable country, we want to share the Japanese hospitality with Muslim people,” he was quoted saying.

The first mosque on the wheels was unveiled this week at the Toyota car company headquarters.

The mobile mosques are built on the chassis of a 25 ton heavy duty lorry and has room for upto 50 people to worship at any one time.

It is also equipped with facilities such as wash basin for cleansing before prayers and a wall indicating the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca.