JBS NEWS INTERNATIONAL
Shirakawa-Go
UNESCO World Heritage Site

JBS3.
loNEWS vct.2007

INTERNATIONAL O
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Nor do you pour new wine into used wineskins, because the new wine will burst theskins, the wine will pour out, and the skins will be ruined. Instead, new wine must be
poured into fresh wineskins!

Luke 5:37-38 (TEV ed.2)

Warm Greetingsfrom Japan Bible Society!
We thank God for being able to deliver to you the third
issue of our JBS news. As the Word which says,Rev. Watabe, GSworld, our work would be blessed by the Lord. May
God s grace be with you all.

Instead, new wine must be poured into freshwineskins!

(Luke 5:38), Japan Bible Society has been

Sincerely in Christ,

searching for new ways to distribute the Bible in thisnew era. We wish from our heart that by sharing some

Makoto Watabe

highlights with those who pray for us all around theGeneral Secretary

Ms. Sayuri Kume
as Goodwill Ambassador of JBS
Ms. Sayuri Kume, a church musician, has been
appointed as goodwill ambassador of JBS in June
2007. Saki Kubota, her former screen-namemaybe more famous, as one of her songs called,
Ihojin( Strangerin English in meaning) was amajor hit in the late 70 s and the early 80 s. Ms.
Kume is a graduate of Tokyo Baptist Seminary,
where she studied theology, and now is active
mainly in churches and in Christian schools,
performing various kinds of concerts, as well asorganizing Bible Caf

to study the Word.

I always bring a small Bible when I travel. I tend
to read something on the trains and planes so it isa good size for me to bring: a Japanese lunch box,
Ms. Sayuri Kume, Goodwill Ambassador of JBSa Japanese tea and the Bible. Is it surprising? It s agreat companion for a trip.

JBS NEWS INTERNATIONAL

International Bible Forum 2007

APABIn April 20

International Bible Forum 2007 was held onyears since

27th and 28th of June at Tokyo International

region, whic

different in cForum. Five speakers from abroad (photos80% of peo

below) each gave a lecture and some four

Church star

hundred people attended each lecture.

banned for 2"Canon and Apocrypha" was one of theYet the Chrthemes of the forum, and recent discoveries,

dates back t

not only the Gospel of Judas but also veryrare stories of the apostles, were explained tothe general audience. The Forum had otherChina

topics such as women in the Israelite society

In April 20and contemporary reading of the book oftime. Japan
interactions

Isaiah. Although the Forum 2007 was much

restored. Pr

smaller in scale than the Forum 2006, its
topics were more focused and the audience

pastors betw
A view of the Lecture Hall

China. They

showed keen interests in each lecture (total

discussions

attendance : ca. 2,000).

issues. Ourchairperson

Christian CoThe 3Dr. Richard Bauckham
The Canonicity ofthe Four Gospels
Professor of
New Testament,
University of St. Andrews

Dr. Fran ois Bovon
Memories of the Apostles:
Their Roles and Teachingsin the Apocrypha
Professor ofthe History of Religion,
Harvard Divinity School

Dr. Carol L. Meyers
What the Bible Does, andDoesn t, Tell Us about theLives of Israelite Women

Dr. Marvin Meyer
Doubting Thomas, Mary
Magdalene and Judas
Iscariot: The Rehabilitationof Marginalized Disciples
Professor ofthe Department of Religion, in Early Christian Literature
Duke University
Professor ofBible and Christian Studies,
Chapman University

Dr. William L. Holladay
How God Speaks toChristians Through Isaiah
Former Professor of
the Andover Newton
Theological School

Tokyo International Bookfair 2007

Board Cand Re

A Vis

On July 26
Takahashi,

From 4th to 7th July 2007, JBS made a presentation at Tokyo
International Bookfair 2007. It was our first attempt to present
ourselves there and about 1,000 people came to our booth in fourdays. More than 7,200 companies were represented and over 63,000
people came to participate in this event. Our latest Bibles werepresented which were favourably taken. We plan to participate in 2008
also so that more people will know of our activities here in Japan.

Affairs visite

Mission Pro
specificallyBulgarian B

located abochildren. Onof 0 to 20 anin degrees oJapan Bible Society Boothat Tokyo International Bookfair 2007

age of 6 toSociety. The

JBS NEWS INTERNATIONAL

APAB (Asia Pacific Area Board) Meeting

APAB meeting

In April 2007, Asia Pacific Area Board meeting was held in Tokyo more than 10years since it was last held in Japan. There are 23 Bible Societies in Asia Pacificregion, which includes Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim countries that are quite
different in culture and languages from Christian countries. In Japan, more than
80% of people belong to either Buddhism or Shintoism, or both. The Catholic
Church started their ministry 400 years ago, but soon after, Christianity wasbanned for 200 years. With the arrival of Protestant Churches, their work resumed.
Yet the Christian population in Japan is 1%. The history of Japan Bible Society
dates back to 1875 and we distribute about one million Bibles every year locally.

A Toyota Car
at Toyota Factory, Nagoya

China Christian Council
In April 2007, 10 delegates from CCC and TSPM visited Japan for the thirdtime. Japanese churches and Chinese churches have been promotinginteractions since 1985 when the two countries

diplomatic relationship wasrestored. Presbyter Ji, the chairperson of TSPM as its leader, the delegation ofpastors between ages 40 to 50 years old came from various provinces of CCC and TSPM members at JBS reception
China. They visited Japanese churches and also Japan Bible Society, anddiscussions were held regarding exchange training programs as well as otherissues. Our General Secretary, Rev. Watabe also holds the post as the JBS Board Chairperson
chairperson of the China Church Relations Committee of NCC (National Rev. Omiya presenting
Christian Council) and therefore, was able to deepen mutual relationship.

the Panoramic Bible
to Presbyter Ji Jianhong

The 39th National Prayer Breakfast in Korea
The 39th NationalPrayer Breakfast

Both the board chairperson Rev. Omiya and General Secretary
Rev. Watabe have been invited to our neighbouring country,Korea s prayer breakfast meeting held in May 2007. Korea andJapan have been collaborating to work together for the ministry inrecent years, and even within Japan, we have Korean pastorsevangelizing. About 2,000 people from within and outside of Korea

Board Chairperson Rev. Omiya
and Rev. Watabe, GS

A Visit to Bulgaria

are invited every year for this breakfast prayer meeting, andprayers for the country and for the peace of the world are offered.

JBS Fundraising Manager,Ms. Takahashi presenting the Biblein the institution for the handicapped

On July 26th and 27th, Rev. Watabe along with our Fundraising Manager, Ms. Shoko
Takahashi, and Ms. Emi B land, PA to the General Secretary/Manager of Foreign
Affairs visited Sofia, Bulgaria. Japan Bible Society s faithful donor organization, WorldMission Project Japan, had donated to JBS the sum of ￥600,000 to be used
specifically for the Bible Work in Bulgaria. The GS and the 2 staff members visited
Bulgarian Bible Society to learn about their work and also visited 2 foster homes
located about 90km away from Sofia to distribute Bible story picture books to thechildren. One foster home was for the mentally and physically impaired (from the ageof 0 to 20 and some above 20) which was inhabited by around 70 such children varying
in degrees of impairments. The other foster home was home to 90 children from theage of 6 to 18. We distributed the Bible to the children with the staff of Bulgarian Bible
Society. The donation will be used to print more children s Bible for the foster children.

Rev. Watabe, GS presenting
the donation from WMPJto Bulgarian BS

JBS NEWS INTERNATIONAL

Shirakawa-Go
UNESCO World Heritage

A Visit to Bermuda / Bible Talk Presentation
Since the development of Bible Talk in 2004, Japan Society has been producing it
in various kinds of languages: Japanese, English, Spanish, and Arabic. Currently weare developing one for Tagalog. How the word of mouth spreads is indeed very
interesting and is a work of God.
The first word people associate withBermuda

is probably the word

triangle.

Itwas indeed a triangular connection that brought the Word of God to the visually-

http://k-kabegami.com/

impaired in a beautiful little island off the coast of South Carolina.
Concerned for the needs of Bermuda s V-I s, the Bible Society in Bermuda, throughactivities such as Bikes/Walks for Bibles, had been raising funds for the past 2 years
with the purpose of providing them with a Bible. Rev. Duncan Jeffrey, the GeneralRev. Watabe, GS presenting the Bible
Talk to visually-impaired persons

Nor do youskins, the wi

poured into f

Secretary of the Bible Society in Bermuda, came across our product Bible Talk inCanada. It so happened that in the previous year, Rev. Paul Brown from Canadian

WarmfromBible Society visited Japan and had taken a sample unit home. So when Rev. Jeffrey
was looking for contacts, Rev. Brown kindly directed him to Japan Bible Society.
So the story goes that on Sunday, July 29th, 2007, a special dedication service
was held at St. Andrew s Church followed by an official handover of 200 units of Bible
Talk to the Society of the Blind in Bermuda on Monday with the attendance of Rev.

We thank G

Watabe and Ms. Emi B land of JBS. Bible Talk was very popular with its usefulness
Rev. Watabe, GS at St Andrew s Church

to the visually-impaired persons.

issue of ourInstead, nwineskins!

Providing 200 Bible Talk to the Visually-Impaired Persons in Japan

searching fornew era. We

In January 2007, Japan Bible Society presented 200 units ofhighlights wit

Bible Talk to the Japan Christian Council of Evangelism
among the Blind (MODEN). For the presentation ceremony,Chairman Mr. Hidaka and Secretary Mr. Asa attended, as wellMaas Rev. Watabe GS and fundraising department staffs of JBS.
There is said to be about three hundred thousands ofpeople who are visually-impaired in Japan. Therefore, it isvery much appreciated to have the audio Bible of this kind.
Chairman Mr. Hidaka says. At MODEN, they are lending the200 units of Bible Talk out for free for those who arePresenting the Bible Talk to the MODEN

interested in hearing the Word.

Mini info. on Japan
Kumamoto Castle

Kumamoto

Tokyo

Japan Bible Society

Bible Talk

Country : Japan
Capital : Tokyo
Official Language : JapaneseLocation : Eastern Asia, island chain between
the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan,
east of the Korean Peninsula
Population : 127,433,494 (July 2007 est.)
Area : 377,835km2 (total)
GDP (per capita: PPP) : $33,110 (2006 est.)
Religion : Observing both Shinto, Buddhist (84%),
and others (16%)
Government : Constitutional Monarchy with a parliamentary
government
Ref. : CIA the World Factbook

Since 1875 (132nd anniversary)
Public Relations Dept.
30 September 2007

5-1, Ginza 4-Chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan 104-0061
Phone: +81(0)3-3567-1988 Fax: +81(0)3- 3567-4451
e-mail: info@bible.or.jp http://www.bible.or.jp/e/index.html