Vol.XV #1March, 2003

NSKK NEWSLETTER
日本聖公会管区事務所だより
NIPPON SEI KO KAI Provincial Office

Editor : E. Hajime Suzuki

65 Yarai-cho, Shinjuku-ku,

Tel. +81-3-5228-3171

Tokyo 162-0805 JAPANFax +81-3-5228-3175

The Nippon Sei Ko Kai Year Book 2002-2003 was published in December 2002. It
contains the location of each church and mission station, as well as the number of clergy(pastors) and lay persons in the11 Dioceses which constitute the Nippon Sei Ko Kai. It
also lists the theological colleges, monasteries/convents, and educational institutions
related to the NSKK. It also gives social welfare organizations and other relatedorganizations. It contains statistical data concerning the number of clergy of the NSKK
(bishops, priests, deacons), ordinands, and lay readers. It gives the number of Sunday
schools, number of children and instructors, number of lay persons, and the amount ofpledges/donations, which indicate the current status of each diocese and the Nippon Sei
Ko Kai. The NSKK Year Book is edited by NSKK Provincial Office and in recent years
has been published after the General Synod that is held every two years.
In order to grasp the situation and changes within the Nippon Sei Ko Kai, I am going tocompare the statistical data from the “NSKK Year Book” as of 31st December 2001 withthose of 31 December 1991.
Number1991

2001

ChurchMission Station
Priest(Including part-time priest
Lay Reader
Sunday School Children
Lay Person
Active Communicant
Baptized per annum

278
40300
340
90
6,537
37,692
29,135746

280
36251299)
195
4,524
35,98628,125481

The annual changes seem to be trivial but when we compare the figures for the year of2001 with those of 1991, we find that considerable changes have occurred within NSKK.
The most significant change is the decrease in the number of parish priests, from 300 to251, a decrease of 50. The number of retired priests continuing to work, inflate thisnumber and should not be relied upon in the future. It is time, therefore, for all membersof the NSKK to consider seriously that we need to foster within young people thewillingness to engage in missionary/evangelical work within Japanese society. It isinteresting to note that, contrary to the decrease in the number of priests, the number oflay readers is increasing, an increase of about 100 during the last decade. This indicatesthat the laity participates voluntarily and actively more and more and in church life.
The number of church-goers also decreased. Now the annual number of baptisms has
dropped below 500. All these figures clearly illustrate the serious current situation facing
the NSKK.
According to the “Religious Year Book of 2001” (compiled by the Agency for Cultural
Affairs in Japan), the total number of all Christians is 924,562, which accounts for lessthan 1% of the whole population of Japan. Members of NSKK are part of this figure.
Although the outlook for Christianity seems to be pessimistic, it is quite true that there are
a number of people who are searching for Christ’s Providence in Japan. Several years
have elapsed since the Japanese economic situation broke down. It is often said, whenpeople’s daily lives are devastated, that they are increasingly willing to go to church. In
particular, church-goers are increasing in Roman Catholic churches, though mainly
because of ‘overseas workers’. At present Japan is under a dark shadow suffering fromthe affliction and despair of bankruptcy, unemployment or suicide all of which arewhirling around our society. What are the people searching for in the Christian church? Is
it possible for the church to respond to their request?
Reading the latest NSKK Year Book, as an active member of NSKK, I am keenly
thinking of these issues, which we are directly confronting at present.
E. Hajime Suzuki
Editor-in-Chief

Bp. Williams’ Memorial Fund:Its Historical Background and Activities<Historical Background>
One of the typical phrases to depict the beginning of modern Japan is “Civilization andEnlightenment”. The influence by the onrush of the modern civilization from the West, inparticular philosophies such as utilitarianism and scientism, was great. On the other hand,
there existed an overt and covert discrimination against Christianity as a heresy. It wasunder these circumstances that the Rev. Channing Moore Williams (later consecratedbishop) who had been sent to Japan via China as a missionary from the Episcopal
Church of USA (Anglican) in 1859, was seeking the chance of propagating the Gospel ofChrist. He envisaged the importance of education for the youth as much as the ministry ofthe Church. From 1874 on he founded schools which later became Rikkyo School, HeianGirls School, and Rikkyo Girls School.
Christian education is to help young people develop their personal integrity grounded
upon the Christian faith and their ability to serve for social reform and well-being. Thus
his educational endeavor was said to have inspired many. Soon, however, Japanesepolitics evolved into nationalism and thence prevented his educational vision fromgrowing to maturity. Finally war broke out, church activities were suppressed and schools
were forced to carry out a militaristic education.
Immediately after the war the Church and Christian schools, which had gone throughsuch bitter experiences, started to rehabilitate their activities with assistance fromoverseas especially from the American Church. The rehabilitation effort of the Churchand Schools took place independently of each other and gained marked achievements.
While these developments had their own merits, they held, however, a latent problem thatwould have to be faced later. The enhancement of being independent in regard to humanand economic resources meant, for the Japanese Church to be independent of her “MotherChurch” which had hitherto supported her; and for the Christian schools to be
self-governing apart from the Church which had sponsored them. Under suchcircumstances it was vital to affirm the recognition that the Church and the Christianschools stood on a common principle, and also to establish a close means of mutual
support and association for each other.
However, the situation proceeded in a different direction in accordance with the rapid
academic and cultural development and the economic advancement. These hastened thewave of secularization affecting the institutionalized Church and schools.. For one thing
the Church had to face the pressure of this strong wave and for another the Christianschools struggled to define what a Christian education ought to be. In consequence, theimpetus to bring up Christian leaders weakened.
<How The Fund Was Established>
This historical background, which caused apprehension among those concerned, led tothe foundation of the Williams’ Memorial Fund. The immediate incentive was theexchange program of Rikkyo (St. Paul’s) University which had been maintained since
1966 with the help of the Episcopal Church of USA. Dr. Norio Ogata who was electedpresident of Rikkyo University in 1975 wished to broaden and transform the program intoa more vital one and having consulted with NSKK and other Anglican schools in Japanproposed a fund in memory of Bp Williams to be established as a joint project between
NSKK and the Anglican schools.
Two programs were proposed:(1) to invite lecturers from overseas who were outstanding scholars in a set area and werespeaking from a Christian point of view.
(2) to provide research students from developing countries with opportunities to study inJapan including some chance of personal exchange.
At that time the whole Anglican Communion adopted a new concept of mission for thenew age focusing on the “Mutual Responsibility and Interdependence (MRI)” movement.
It appealed to the whole Communion to participate jointly in God’s One Mission as“Partners in Mission (PIM)”. Bp Williams Memorial Fund was an apt response to thisappeal. This agendum was tabled at the 34th general synod of NSKK in 1977 and passed
unanimously. The fund-raising campaign started right away and called on churches andschools for support, and also applied for an allocation from the Venture in Mission Fundthat the American Church had just initiated. The campaign aimed at 200 million yen for
the first stage. At present the Fund is holding approximately 180 million yen.

Since it was expected that a long time would be needed to establish the endowment fund,a decision was made to expend the necessary money out of the fund already collected inorder to carry out the proposed activities. The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Bp
Michael Ramsey, was invited as the first lecturer in 1979. He readily accepted our request
and with his wife came to stay in Japan for six weeks visiting churches and schools inboth Kanto (east) and Kansai (west) for lectures and preaching. He made a marked impact
on all who attended these events. Indeed he was the ideal person as the first lecturer of theFund. To date ten lecturers have been invited and each has made a valuable contribution
from their own particular expertise. Ms. D. Lubguban from the Philippines was the first in
the program of inviting research students. She came in 1981 and studied industrial
psychology at Rikkyo University. Up to the present twenty-four researchers have been
selected from developing countries. Their stay in Japan also brings about culturalexchange. Each one stays in Japan for about a year and a half, including a period to learn
the Japanese language. The schools jointly share in their accommodation, studies andsojourns, This is part of PIM.
It has been a quarter of a century since the Fund was established and the enthusiasm seenin the early days seems to be declining. Social and economic reasons may be part of thereason for this trend. As we recall the historical background and the devoted efforts madeby many in and out of the country to start the Fund so we should examine the present stateof the Fund. And to plan for its future: lest the light of hope lit by Bp Williams should fade.
It was said of him “He introduced the Way but not himself.”.
Rev. Robert Tetsuro Nishimura
Board of Trustees
The Bishop Williams’ Memorial Fund ofNippon Sei Ko Kai

Waging for Peace in JapanThe war on Iraq has begun contrary to our strong desire for a peaceful solution. Christians
in Japan, as well as many people all over the world, are in great sorrow and are praying
earnestly for the quickest end to the war.
On March 11 our primate the Most Rev. James Toru Uno issued a statement on Iraq inwhich he emphasized how we must listen to all those who suffer, especially the people ofIraq. Voices against the threat of war by the USA have been heard clearer and louder in
the NSKK since last Advent. The first voice raised was when a voluntary women’s group
had a prayer meeting for peace. They listened to a report from a priest who had visited theMiddle East in the previous summer. Since then many Christians including NSKKmembers, not only in Tokyo but in many local cities, have been actively waging for peace.
The newly organized “Council for Peace and Justice, Diocese of Tokyo” also issued astatement opposing the Iraq war and called for prayer and action from the people of thediocese for peace. On march 21 the Tokyo diocese was having its annual general meeting
when 50,000 people gathered for a peace rally in a park nearby St. Andrew’s Cathedral. A
motion was adopted to ring bells and take a break and express our solidarity withapplause while the peace march passed the Cathedral. It was a heart moving moment anda great encouragement to all the people walking. On March 25 the Council for P&J,

Tokyo had a meeting to hear the report of a layperson who had just come back from Iraq
as a member of the International Civil Investigation Team. Almost 160 people gatheredfrom many churches including other denominations to hear his story and watch the video
report. It was with much pain and with sincere concern that the participants joined inPrayers for peace.
Japanese Christians, a small minority in our society, are trying to work together
ecumenically after our government started to show a more militaristic policy in the 1990’s.
“Christian Network for Peace - Sticking to the Peace Constitution” was founded by morethan twenty denominations and Christian groups. Later we were confronted with thegovernment’s legislation to deal with emergencies. At that time religious people,Buddhists, Muslims and Christians got together and set up “The Religious People’s
Network for Peace”.
Green banners of “Christian Network for Peace” have been seen every day since mid
January and throughout February in front of the US Embassy to oppose the US led attack
on Iraq. Now every Friday before going to the Embassy we stand near the Diet building toappeal to the government not to take part in the war in any way. We cannot give up, butmuch more has to be done to wage for peace here and all over the world.
Mary Junko Matsuura

The Rt. Rev. Toshiharu Okano was assigned to Brazil as a missionary
The Rt. Rev. Toshiharu Okano a former Bishop of the Kyoto Diocese left Japan for Sao
Paulo, Brazil on January 16th, 2003. He decided to lead the worship in Japanese for thenative Japanese members of St. John’s Church in the Diocese of Sao Paulo, Episcopal
Church of Brazil. There has been a century long history as thousands of Japaneseimmigrants struggled through blood and sweat to survive the harsh labor conditions there.
The retired 78 year old bishop, together with his wife, wanted to care for those Issei
Japanese (the first generation of Japanese immigrants). St. John’s Church is far awayfrom Japan on the other side of the globe but the bishop had a strong call from God to takecare of those aged Isseis and to praise God together from this time on.
The Japanese Mission, Episcopal Church Brazil used to have its headquarters at St. John’s.
St. John’s, where seventy percent of the members now are of Japanese descent, iscelebrating its seventieth anniversary this year. But these Japanese are second and third
generation and the senior priest is Brazilian with an assistant Japanese priest.
At the end of 2001 the priest who was ministering in Japanese returned to the Kobe
Diocese in Japan and the Church Committee has been eagerly looking for a priest to
minister to the small group of Issei members. The Rev. Okano responded immediately totheir eager request.
The validity of a Mission visa is for one year only with a possible renewal for a furtheryear. The Rt. Rev. Hiroshi Itoh, the Bishop of the Diocese of Sao Paulo said that as long as
the health of the Bishop and his wife remain good all the Isseis would like to have themfor two years.
May God bless the Rt. Rev. and Mrs. Okano’s health and their future ministry.