Great Rejoicing in Japan
“NEVER have I seen so many people!” This is a common comment by first-time visitors to Japan. Yes, there are people—102,000,000 of them—an industrious people. Among these are some 8,631 witnesses of Jehovah who are greatly rejoicing over their spiritual prosperity.
These Japanese witnesses of Jehovah are organized into 215 congregations and 63 isolated groups. Their numbers are growing rapidly. In fact, 1,600 were added during the past year. And they greatly rejoice that for nearly three years each successive month has marked a new peak in the number of them preaching from door to door about God’s kingdom!
During just eighteen months up to the end of January 1970, 2,277 of these Witnesses symbolized their dedication to Jehovah God by undergoing water baptism. And, showing their zeal for their faith, during March 2,184 of them—that is one in every four—were serving as full-time pioneer ministers, many devoting one hundred or more hours each month to the preaching of God’s Word to others.
PREACHING AMONG BUDDHISTS
How do the Buddhist people of Japan view the Christian witnesses of Jehovah? Often with respect. The Japanese are great readers, and many are glad to receive the latest copies of “The Watchtower” and “Awake!” when the Witnesses call at their homes. In this past January alone, 477,041 copies of these two magazines were distributed, in addition to the obtaining of a record 19,131 subscriptions.
Since more than 160 new religions have blossomed in Japan since World War II, many are wary about the “new religion” boom. Especially have they been put on guard by the new Soka Gakkai sect of Nichiren Buddhism, with its aggressive campaigning and forced conversions, and its current excursion into politics. However, the work of Jehovah’s witnesses stands out in peaceful contrast to the “crash” tactics of Soka Gakkai.
The Japanese often raise the question: Why do “Christian” nations get involved in so many wars, such as that in Vietnam? When it is explained, they usually appreciate the point that there are both counterfeit and true Christians and that true Christians have held fast to the principle stated at Isaiah 2:4, by ‘beating swords into plowshares.’ Jehovah’s witnesses win much respect for the consistent stand of integrity they have taken during two world wars, in refusing to break their international bonds of love for their brothers.—John 13:35.
ASSEMBLY WITH LASTING IMPRESSIONS
The “Peace on Earth” International Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses, held in Tokyo last year, made a lasting impression. For example, a young housewife in northern Japan quickly accepted the truth of the Bible and was determined to attend the assembly. But her fisherman husband opposed her. Finally, she was able to make an agreement: He would attend the assembly with her for the first session, and after that he would visit with relatives. That first session did it! He came the first day, the second day, and through to the sixth and final day. Then only did he spend time with his relatives. The wife is now a Witness, and her husband studies with the Witnesses.
What kind of people were in attendance at this assembly? And what changes did they make in their lives to become Jehovah’s Christian witnesses?
Here is a man who was brought up in a Buddhist temple. During his youth “voices” had persuaded him to take his own life in order to enter into ‘the joys of the afterlife.’ But he failed in his suicide attempt. His Buddhist faith failed, also, to protect him in later life, as he took up working for a motion-picture company in making low-class pictures that featured sex and violence. He reacted violently when his wife studied the Bible and became a Witness. He burned her Bible. He thought that all people were dishonest, but he finally agreed to talk with a male Witness. Step by step, he changed his way of thinking. He was among the 727 baptized at the “Peace on Earth” assembly.
And here is the head of a family. Like so many Japanese, he works long hours. From daylight to dark, seven days a week, he works at making sweet bean paste for Japanese-style cakes. His wife studied the Bible and became one of Jehovah’s witnesses. He opposed her. One day, the wife invited the local congregation overseer and his wife to dinner. Many questions were answered to his satisfaction. Now he too wanted to study the Bible. He suggested a daily study. But the overseer suggested that he balance a home Bible study with attendance at the congregation meetings. To make the necessary time, he went to work at 3 a.m., two hours earlier than usual. He also became more efficient in his work so that his employer gave him Sundays off. Just six months after he started to study he also was baptized.
How quickly does a Buddhist make the changeover to become a real Christian? The time varies, but the following illustrates: A missionary called on a woman who had shown casual interest. She and her husband agreed to study the Bible. The woman had been a member of a new Buddhist religion, Omoto-Kyo, for some twenty years, and a large Buddhist altar stood in the living room. The woman told the missionary: “Since I stopped worshiping at this altar, I have received no punishment from my ancestors. The Bible is indeed true in saying that the dead no longer exist.” After eleven months she became a baptized Witness.
In August 1969 a young man of Yokohama, a member of Japan’s riot police, received a copy of the “Awake!” magazine on “Why the Worldwide Student Revolt?” Having been trained to handle rampaging students, he was interested in finding an answer to this problem. On October 6 he started to study with the Witnesses. Learning of the “Peace on Earth” Assembly to be held in Tokyo October 14-19, he had to make a decision: Would he attend the assembly, though doing so would mean leaving his job in the riot squad? He chose to attend the assembly. This young man was baptized on March 7, 1970, and is now busy full time as a minister of peace.
Modern Japan is prosperous in a material way. But Jehovah’s witnesses are prospering even more in a spiritual way. As they find they have more spare time, they use it wisely in the joyous Kingdom ministry. In the past month of March, they devoted a total of 334,803 hours to the Kingdom ministry, an average of 38 hours for every Witness in Japan. They are convinced that the Bible is indeed God’s Word and they are eager to share with others the good things that it contains. As others respond and associate with the Witnesses, they share the joy of these zealous servants of Jehovah. In the expanding congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses in Japan today there is to be sensed “great rejoicing and sincerity of heart.”—Acts 2:46.
[Picture on page 363]
Typical Japanese Witness mother and her two children (on right) share joyful message of God’s kingdom