Japan

From the Dispatch of Missionaries to Welcoming Reverend Moon (1958-1964) June 15, 1958, Reverend Sun Myung Moon dispatched missionary Bong-choon Choi to Tokyo, Japan, in order to establish Japan in the providence of God.

As formal relations had not been established between South Korea and Japan at the time, missionary Bong-choon Choi became a stowaway aboard a ship from Pusan, and made his first step into Seto-naikai of Japan. However, four days after entering the country, he was arrested on charges of smuggling himself into Japan. There was no choice but to be deported back to Korea.

Missionary Choi, when considering the tearful efforts of Reverend Moon and the church members who prepared his funds for work in Japan, resolved that this should not stop him.
Some of the members had even sold their wedding ring and household goods to contribute.
He fasted in prison, until in March 1959 he was diagnosed to have tuberculosis and was transferred from prison to a tuberculosis clinic. Missionary Choi pushed his body in pain to escape during the transfer, and stowed away on a train headed for Tokyo from Shimonoseki station in southern Yamaguchi prefecture. He began his missionary activities in April of the same year.

On October 2, 1959, the first Sunday service of the Unification Church of Japan was held on the second floor of the Yukeisha clock shop in Shinjuku, Tokyo, attended by three members.
This day has been commemorated as the founding day of the Unification Church of Japan.Overcoming various hardships, Mr. Choi brought seven members by April 1960. The first church was established in the one-room office of the Dowa Printing House, the cornerstone of the church in Japan. Life in the church was impoverished in those days, and members collected and recycled waste articles for a living. During the day they salvaged materials and at night they witnessed on the streets, working without rest to advance the will of God.

Mrs. Matsumoto, an early member, looks back on church life in those days, saying, "In those days, the only thing of value within the church was the blackboard used when lecturing the Principle. In the winter, the cold winds of Hokkaido blew in through the crack and froze our hands, feet and ears completely. But, when Reverend Choi spoke of God and Jesus' words, our hearts were filled with joy, and we could never feel that it was cold; we forgot when it was time for meals, and truly felt that this must be Heaven."
In June 1961, the church moved to a place with two rooms in Shinjuku, and the members went pioneer witnessing in the summer. When members were treated coldly during their witnessing activities, denounced as fools and sometimes splashed with water, they continued to witness, engraving in their minds the words of missionary Choi who said, "Even if the three billion people of the world should betray us, God will never betray us."
In August 1962, Osami Kuboki, chief secretary of President Nikkei Niwano of the Rissho Koseikai, a Buddhist faction with over three million members, and head of its Youth Department, joined. Mr. Kuboki, who had been viewed as the next chairman of the Rissho Koseikai, traveled throughout Japan developing missionary activities. In particular, beginning in 1962, there was remarkable success in witnessing to students, and Principle study groups were constantly springing up.

On February 29, 1964, Missionary Mi-shik Shin was sent to Japan. Missionary Shin conveyed the heart and feelings of Reverend Moon that she had learned by working close by his side. By July 1964, the efforts of missionaries Bong-choon Choi and Mi-shik Shin in sowing the seeds of the Principle, and the hard work of the members led by Mr. Kuboki, brought results.
The Unification Church of Japan was thus registered as an official religious organization. Mr. Kuboki was inaugurated as the leader of the church.

Reverend Sun Myung Moon's Visits to Japan (1965-1967)This was a period during which Japan was meant to develop a relationship of heart with Reverend Sun Myung Moon for the sake of God's will.

On January 28, 1965, Reverend Moon embarked upon the first world tour in order to establish 120 Holy Grounds in forty countries around the world. Reverend Moon first visited Japan to set up Holy Grounds in eight locations. Through speeches entitled, "God's Purpose and Our Purpose," "The Last of Jesus and Our Determination," "Love that Is Necessary for All People," "Let's Unite, Seeking for the Center," and "Jesus Who Stands Before the Universe," Reverend Moon developed a relationship of heart with the Japanese members for the first time.

Following this visit, on June 12, 1967, the Reverend Moon revisited Japan to hold a two-week workshop on the Principle, and 105 core members of the Japanese movement were able to hear his words. He spoke on topics such as "The Need for the VOC Movement," "Restoration through Indemnity," "What A Leader Must Do," "What Must Be Done From Now On," presenting the direction for Japan to follow in the age of indemnity.

After the workshop, which began on July 20, 1966, a powerful forty-day pioneer witnessing period was initiated in 483 cities throughout Japan in which 937 members took part. As of November 1967, an eighty-day nationwide touring workshop program on the Principle was organized centered on President Osami Kuboki. The age of large-scale witnessing had arrived.

Official Inauguration of the Unification Church of Japan (1968-1974)The period from 1968 to 1974 was a time during which the Unification Church of Japan made substantial leaps

forward in the dispensation for substantial salvation. During this time, Japanese chapters of the Collegiate Association for the Research of Principle, the International Federation for Victory Over Communism, the New Ecumenical Research Association, and the Unification Thought Institute were established and missionary activities were expanded broadly.

As the early stages of the Unification Church of Japan were focused on witnessing to university students, the early members were mainly college students. These students interrupted their studies in order to take part in the realization of the will of God, developed a financial base by collecting and recycling waste articles, and spread the Principle through successive pioneer witnessing projects. This type of witnessing is still continued as a means to inherit Reverend Moon's heart of suffering.

From 1966, when such pioneer witnessing began to bear fruit, the center of missionary activities was moved to the universities. The Japan Collegiate Association for the Research of Principles (J-CARP) was established in 1968 to renew the morale of the universities, which had declined conspicuously through leftist activities, and to raise up mature students who would take responsibility for the future of Japan. CARP provided the opportunity for members to incorporate the words of the Principle in daily life, and to mature as God's representatives.

In 1968, the social environment of Japan was extremely confused due to the anti-war, anti-American agitation by leftist groups that took advantage of the war in Vietnam. Fire bombs and tear bombs clashed in the streets and college campuses became the haunts of leftist students who were incited by communists.

It was in such an environment that President Kuboki, led by Reverend Moon, stressed that Japan would destroy itself if this continued, and that someone must rise to save the country.
He appealed to the students not to be blinded by communism, and established the Japanese chapter of the International Federation for Victory Over Communism in April 1968.

The members of VOC visited any area where communists were gathered to develop VOC activities. Many were persecuted and suffered from strong opposition from the leftist forces during this time. There was a particularly unfortunate incident in which two women members were participating in a movement to annul the accreditation of the Chosun (North Korean) University in Japan, which was the origin of the leftist revolution. These two members were subjected to an assault by members of the university faculty and almost lost their lives.In spite of the merciless violence by the communists, VOC members did not retreat.

Nationwide VOC activities were developed: The Asia VOC Students Rally on November 30, 1968, and the World Anti-Communist League Rally in 1970 were held, establishing IFVOC as the largest anti-Communist organization in Japan.

On July 24, 1972, the Japanese Interdenominational Christian Association was founded with the aim of realizing a "unified world under Heavenly Father," spurring on the ecumenical movement. Then in October 1972, the Unification Thought Institute of Japan was launched as part of the work to broadly disseminate a systematized explanation of Unification Thought. The Unification Thought movement in Japan devoted its entire effort to promoting the the harmonization of thought within the academic world, and to countering communism and defeating it.

Starting June 1973, a series of lectures entitled "Prophecy to Save the Nation" was held throughout the country for the future of Japan. President Kuboki emphasized, "If Japan exists only for the pursuit of its own benefit, it will one day decline. A world philosophy transcending the races in which a country is willing to sacrifice itself for the sake of the world is necessary." He thus referred to Reverend Moon's "spirit of living for others," sounding a warning to many Japanese who had fallen prey to materialism and egoism.

President Kuboki's speeches took place in 124 locations over a ten-month period, and were attended by more than 170,000 people. On February 22, 1968, President and Mrs. Kuboki received the Blessing as part of the 430 couples. On May 1, 1969, 22 couples received the Holy Blessing, and on October 21, 1970, many members became God's true children as part of the Blessing of 777 couples, held in Seoul.

Contributing to the Worldwide Foundation Centered on the United States (1975-1980)This was a period in which Japanese missionaries were dispatched by Reverend Moon worldwide to support the dispensation in the United States, the central nation.

First, as part of Japan's contribution to the world mission project, the Unification Church of Japan sent 90 missionaries to 95 countries beginning April 1975, thus playing a very significant role in creating footholds for missionary work in the 'global village.'In order to assist the dispensation within the United States, the cornerstone of the democratic world, numerous Japanese members participated in the Yankee Stadium Rally of June 1, 1976, and the Washington Monument Rally of September 18 of the same year, devoting their efforts to the providence of restoration in America.

On January 1, 1975, the Sekai Nippo, a daily newspaper with the company motto of "One heart, One body, One feeling" was established in order to improve the media environment of Japan which inclined to the left, and enhanced the swift transmission of information. The Sekai Nippo continues to execute its mission as an organ contributing to the fostering of free individuals, happy homes, a sound society, an ideal Japan and the construction of a world of utmost good and prosperity. Since its first publication, it has utilized the state-of-the-art technology in editing, backed by one of the most powerful networks of correspondents among the Japanese media, and is progressing full force in its efforts to promote value-centered public opinion.

The Period from 1975 to 1980 may be considered the time during which the VOC and witnessing activities of the Unification Church of Japan were able to establish their foundations. The VOC movement took the credit for the fact that a Communist candidate dropped out of the 1978 election for governor of the ancient city of Kyoto, thereby forming a new climate for the election. On September 22, 1978, the engagement ceremony for 1,610 couples was held at Kamikawa, in Kanagawa prefecture, followed by a forty-day witnessing course in Tokyo and Osaka. From May 1, 1979, 80- and 120-day special witnessing campaigns were implemented throughout Japan, from Hokkaido in the north, to Kyushu in the south, and the words of the Principle were carried to all corners of Japan.

The Intermediate Period of Various Church Activities (1984 - Present)This was a period in which the national level forty-year course of indemnity of the church in Japan, representing the Eve nation, was to be completed. This was a time in which the old activities in the areas of, among others, VOC, science, the educational world and service projects, developed great momentum.

In July 1981, the International Christian Professors Association, led by Christian scholars, was established. The aim of the organization was to overcome atheistic materialism and secularism, and to promote exchanges between East and West, to help implant solid values, and give hope to the young generation.
Well-known Japanese scholars are registered with the International Christian Professors Association in which Asian Christians cooperate with each other in an attempt to transcend the limitations of Western Christianity through the oriental way of thinking, to transcend denominations and revive Christianity.

As part of the activities in the area of science, the 10th International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences (ICUS) was held in Korea in November 1981. On this occasion, Reverend Moon proposed the building of an international highway, giving rise to the International Highway Construction Corporation and the Japan-Korea Tunnel Research Institute.

The Japan-Korea Tunnel Research Institute in particular, has approximately one thousand members registered, and studies are being continued in Tokyo and Fukuoka with experts and technicians who took part in the construction of the Seikan Tunnel, and the Seto Grand Bridge. These make up specialized groups addressing the legal, economic, geographical, design and environmental aspects.

During this period, the Victory Over Communism movement also developed full force and between March 1984 and November 1992. One hundred thirty two seminars on Korean and Japanese security were sponsored by IFVOC. Over fifteen thousand took part in the seminars.
Currently, seven million VOC members are involved in activities supporting world peace and the unification of North and South Korea.

The service activities of the International Relief Friendship Foundation, begun in 1983, have also achieved substantial results. From that time, the Japan chapter of IRFF has built schools and conducted vocational training in, for example, agricultural technology, as part of its social education programs. It has thus aimed to assist the independent growth of developing nations. In underdeveloped regions ravaged by industrial disasters or war, IRFF has implemented relief projects supplying food, medication and clothing.

In 1987, the National Coalition for the Unification of North-South-East-West [NCU-NEWS] was established for the purpose of resolving current East-West and North-South issues, and of realizing an ideal society in which all could live and prosper together.

The National Coalition has as its aims contributing to balancing the economy, culture and technology within Asia, and educating young people who will carry the future, namely the Second Generation, with Godism and Head-wing Thought.

In 1988, a speech tour of World Professors was organized in fifty-two regions of the country under its sponsorship. These talks were attended by approximately twenty thousand and had much impact on the public. It can be emphasized that the activities of the National Coalition for the Unification of North-South-East-West indeed constitute a historical movement contributing to the realization of a new ideal world, in the spirit of true love and peace for Asia and the world.

In September 1991, the Tokyo Rally of the Women's Federation for Peace in Asia, led by President Hak Ja Han Moon, was held. President Han spoke about the expanding role of women and the mission of Japan as an Eve nation. Her address emphasized that Japan, representing Christianity, and South Korea as Adam nation, must unite according to the providence.

After World War II, the Christians in Korea, whom God had been preparing for the providence, and the democratic world centered on England, America and France, were not able to fulfill the mission intended for them by Heaven. Therefore, the Reverend Sun Myung Moon was obliged to establish the Unification Church to replace Christianity and developed it as the final fortress of the democratic world that would counter the communist bloc that had grown into a worldwide power.

Reverend Moon chose Japan, a nation defeated in World War II, as a country to take on the mission originally intended for Christians, and sent missionary Bong-choon Choi in 1958.
Missionary Choi overcame much hardship to sow the seeds of the word of God, and successfully fulfilled his role as a bridge that would spread the seeds of missionary work.Upon such a foundation built by the activities of Missionary Choi, the early Japanese members led by President Kuboki gave birth to the Unification Church of Japan which has established itself in the world in a relatively short period, and which began by recycling waste articles, street and pioneer witnessing and missionary activities risking their lives.

Furthermore, Japanese missionaries became cornerstones to strengthen the foundation for world mission work within the Unification Church. Today, the church in Japan is continuing its efforts to eradicate nationalism, prejudicial ideologies, and oppression and exploitation based on the logic of power--all being traps into which an economic superpower can easily fall--so that Japan can be reborn as a country that stands for peace and love, and realizing the ideal world of God's creation.