Every year, each of the 17 Kyodan districts holds its annual assembly. This year, the process began on April 29 in Hokkai District and concluded on June 29 in Kanagawa District.The task of visiting each of the district assemblies was divided up this year, as usual, between the Kyodan moderator, vice-moderator, secretary, and general secretary, with each participating in four or five assemblies according to their respective schedules. Each district has its own unique issues, so going to each assembly to listen to the opinions and requests of the delegates provides a chance to narrow the gap between the Kyodan and its individual districts. It likewise is a golden opportunity for the Kyodan leadership to make appeals to the districts. Thus, such district assemblies are occasions when the Kyodan and the districts can have meaningful exchanges, but there were also some disappointments.Most of the districts welcomed the Kyodan representative at their assemblies, but unfortunately, there were difficulties with both Kyoto and Okinawa districts. We continued our efforts to work something out, and finally, Kyodan Moderator Ishibashi Hideo was able to attend the Kyoto District Assembly for the first time in eleven years. That, however, was in the form of attending the conference held prior to the actual assembly as Kyoto District continues to decline to accept a visiting official from the Kyodan as a guest. Nevertheless, this was a step in the right direction.As for myself, I was able to visit the Okinawa District Assembly for the first time in 40 years. For the past ten years, Okinawa District has also refused to accept an official representative from the Kyodan, but I was allowed to attend as a general observer.Okinawa District was formed in the winter of 1969 as a result of the merger of the United Church of Christ in Okinawa (Okinawa Kyodan) and the United Church of Christ in Japan (Kyodan). Not long afterwards, however, the newly formed Okinawa District began to call for a “reevaluation of the merger,” as viewed from the perspective of the Okinawan people. After a long process, that perennial issue of “Reevaluation of the Merger” was rejected at the 2002 General Assembly due to a time limit, and ever since, Okinawa District has maintained its distance from the Kyodan and has not accepted an official observer from the Kyodan at its district assembly. As a new generation emerges, however, the time has come for this unhealthy situation existing between the Kyodan and its districts to be normalized again. (Tr. TB)—Nagasaki Tetsuo, general secretary