On Feb. 18, the proposal on the temporary move of the Kyodan General Office and other offices, Agenda Item 29, was approved at the fourth Executive Council meeting of the 38th General Assembly period (2013-14). The action relates to the current condition of the Japan Christian Center, in which the three offices of the Kyodan and other related organizations are located. As a result of the massive earthquake that struck East Japan at 2:46 p.m. on March 11, 2011, which registered 5.5 in Tokyo on the Japanese scale for quakes (with level 7 being the most severe), it has been recognized that the structure has no steel frame above the center’s fourth floor, as per the building codes at the time it was built in 1970.
Furthermore, careful inspection of the building has shown that there are no outside stairways, and due to the shape of the property, a fire truck with ladders able to reach above the sixth floor could not enter the grounds. The 10-ton pump on the roof that heats and air conditions the various floors is not anchored, so the possible danger of it falling over during a strong earthquake has been suggested.
After the 2011 earthquake, the Japan Overseas Christian Medical Cooperative Service (JOCS), the IBS Shadan, and the Japan Christian Federation on Early Childhood Care and Education promptly left and moved to other locations, and this spring the National Christian Council in Japan (NCCJ) will withdraw and Waseda Hoshien will close its meeting rooms. Now with the Kyodan’s decision on the issue, even though at the eleventh hour, a total of about 80 staff persons’ lives will be protected: 20 in the Kyodan General Office; 35 in the Board of Publications office; 6 in the Board of Pensions office, which includes the Promotion Committee for the Movement to Support Retired Ministers; 1 in the National Federation of Kyodan Women’s Societies office; 6 in the Kyodan Mutual-Aid Society for Church Facilities office; 1 in the Christian Schools Council on Cooperative Mission office; 3 in the Tokyo District Office; and 4 in the Korean Christian Church in Japan office.
Due to the urgent nature of this issue, the Task Force on the Japan Christian Center Building Issue has recently been formed, with the Kyodan moderator as chairperson. So the Kyodan is earnestly trying to cope with this pressing matter that hereafter will receive much attention. (Tr. RT)
—Nagasaki Tetsuo, general secretary
総幹事室より
去る2月18日、第38総会期第４回常議員会の第29号議案「教団事務局等の一時移転に関する件」が可決された。
この件がここに至るまでの経緯は、何よりも三年前の2011年3月11日午後2時46分、東京地方にも襲った震度5.5の地震によって、教団三局及び関係団体入居の日本キリスト教会館が1970年献堂当時の建築基準により7階のものが、4階以上には鉄骨が入っていない建物だったことに気づかされたことにある。
更に建物の精査によれば、ここには外階段無し、土地の形状から6階以上への梯子車は入れず、屋上には各階部屋のエアコンのための10トンのガスヒートポンプが設置されているが、これが床に固定されておらず、大地震により、屋上から落下す る危険があることも指摘されている。
以来、ＪＯＣＳ（キリスト教海外医療協力会）、在日本インターボード宣教師社団（IBS)、キリスト教保育連盟等はいち早くここから退去して他所に移り、この春には(NCC)や早稲田奉仕園会議室も撤退する。今回教団がこの件を決議したことで、遅ればせながら事務局20名、出版局35名、年金局と「隠退教師を 支える運動」推進事務局6名をはじめ、会堂共済組合6名、宣教協力学 校協議会1名、東京教区3名、在日大韓基督教会4名、の他約80名の事務職員の命を守ろうとしている。
現在教団はこの緊急な案件のために、教団議長を委員長とする会館問題特別委員会が鋭意対応しようとしており、今後が注目される。長崎哲夫総幹事
