The fourth Executive Council meeting of the present 39th Kyodan General Assembly biennial period was held Oct. 19-20 at Fujimicho Church in Tokyo, with all 30 members in attendance. General Secretary Nagasaki Tetsuo reported on the progress of the earthquake refitting of the Japan Christian Center, saying that it was scheduled to be complete by the latter part of February 2016. He also reported on the questions posed by Higashi Chugoku and Nishi Chugoku districts concerning "social insurance" (a range of insurance related to society, including health, unemployment, nursing care, etc.) In response, council member Okamoto Tomoyuki replied that it is mandatory for entities with "juridical person" (legal) status to take out such insurance, so the Kyodan must do so. Moderator Ishibashi Hideo replied that this would be done in consultation with General Secretary Nagasaki.

Aizawa Toyoshige, chair of the commission on finance, then gave an explanation of the 2016 Kyodan budget. Given the difficult financial situation of many churches, it was proposed that the apportionments be reduced from the previous year's level by two percent, a total of 5.21 million yen. Likewise, many of the expenditures, including such items as support for other organizations like the National Christian Council in Japan, the World Council of Churches, and the Christian Conference of Asia, would be reduced by ten percent. In response to this, Vice-moderator Sasaki Michio, representing the core leadership, proposed an amendment to the effect that while the ten percent reductions were in general unavoidable, when it comes to support for international bodies, reducing the present total contribution of 974,000 yen needs to be reconsidered. He suggested that the direct contributions in the budgeted income, which is two million yen, could be increased to three million, with the core leadership taking the initiative to raise those extra funds. Aizawa supported this amendment, and after Moderator Ishibashi led some discussion on it, the proposed budget as amended was passed.

Other items reported on were the establishment of a committee to publish records of the Disaster Relief Planning Headquarters for the East Japan Disaster, the totals of the fundraising in response to that disaster (10,157,558,567 yen within Japan and 402,866,286 yen overseas), and the plans for the International Youth Peace Conference to be held in Kyoto in March 2017.

Concerning the plans for celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, Preparation Committee Chair Okamura Hisashi reported on the overall plans, including the commemorative worship service and various events planned for children, students, youth, lay persons, and women. Likewise, he reported on plans for sending a delegation to overseas events.

Commission on Ministerial Qualifications Chair Takasawa Takumi reported on the fall examinations for ministers, saying that there were 61 applicants who sat for the exams to qualify as ministers in full standing, of which 36 passed and 25 did not. Likewise, 19 persons took the exams for licensed preacher status, of which only 4 passed, with 4 others not passing and 11 others still in process. Concerning the fact that about 40 percent of those taking the exams for full ministerial status did not pass, Takasawa stated that many could not reach the point total necessary to pass due to the numerous areas covered in the exams.

A debate about the process for receiving agenda items was sparked by the proposal of the standing committees of Kyushu and Nishi Chugoku districts that the Kyodan make a formal statement of protest on the restarting of the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant in Kyushu. While it has been standard practice for the district standing committees to be able to present agenda proposals to the Executive Council, there was discussion about whether this was the proper way to do it. After much discussion, the topic was tabled. (Tr. TB)

—Kato Makoto, executive secretary

第39総会期第4回常議員会報告

第39総会期第4回常議員会は10月19，20日の両日、富士見町教会会議室で常議員30名全員が出席して開催された。

総幹事報告で長崎哲夫総幹事は、「キリスト教会館耐震・改修工事は2月下旬に完成の予定。社会保険に関して東中国、西中国教区から問い合わせがあった。」と報告した。岡本知 之常議員から「法的には法人格を持っていれば加入する義務がある。教団としてどう対応するか対処すべき」と の意見が出た。石橋秀雄議長は「総幹事と相談の上、対処する」と応答した。

「2016年度教団歳入歳出予算案に関する件」では、愛澤豊重予算決算委員長が予算案を以下の様に説明した。教会・伝道所の厳しい状況を踏まえ負担金を対前年度2パーセント（521万円）減とし、それに伴い、事業活動支出では、他団体（NCC,WCC,CCA）分担金を含め、多くの項目を10パーセント減とした。これを受けて佐々木美知夫副議長は、三役からの提案として、多くの支出項目での10パーセント減は仕方ないが、対外的なことには考慮が必要であり「他団体分担金974000円の減額はせず、収入の献金を200万円から300万円に増額し、三役が献金を募ることに務め、対応する」と述べた。この修正案を愛澤委員長も支持し、石橋 議長が議場に諮り、承認された。

震災救援対策本部は、記録刊行委員会立ち上げ、国際青年平和会議開催計画（2017年3月於京都）、募金総額（国内10億15758567円、海外4億2866286円）を報告した。

宗教改革500周年記念事業について岡村恒準備委員長は、基本方針、記念礼拝、こども、中高生、青年、信徒、女性諸大会開催、海外記念行事参加等の 計画を報告した。

教師検定について鷹澤匠委員長は、秋季検定試験においては正教師試験に61名が受験し、合格36名、不合格25名。補教師試験は19名が受験し、合格4名、不合格4名、継続11名であったことを報告した。正教師試験受験者4割が不合格になったことについて、鷹澤委員長は「複数科目で合格点に達しなかった受験者が多かった」と報 告した。

九州教区、西中国教区各常置委員会提案の「川内原発再稼働抗議声明」では、常議員会への議案提出手続きについて、教区常置委員会の議案提出をこれまで慣 例で取り扱ってきたが、これが妥当かが議論された。審議を経て議長預かりとなった。(加藤誠)