The or NRK is a Confessional Lutheran

Confessional Lutheran

Confessional Lutheran is a name used by certain Lutheran Christians to designate themselves as those who accept the doctrines taught in the Book of Concord of 1580 in their entirety, because they believe them to be completely faithful to the teachings of the Bible...

 denomination in Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. It currently has approximately 2,645 baptized members in 35 congregations nationwide.

The current president of the NRK is the Rev. Yutaka Kumei.

History

During the occupation of Japan by the Allied forces after the Second World War, several US Army chaplains affiliated with the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod

Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod

The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod is a traditional, confessional Lutheran denomination in the United States. With 2.3 million members, it is both the eighth largest Protestant denomination and the second-largest Lutheran body in the U.S. after the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The Synod...

 (LCMS) were serving the local population. Discussions were held with representatives from the Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church

Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church

The or JELC is a Lutheran church in Japan. It currently has approximately 21,990 baptized members in 122 congregations nationwide.The current president of the JELC is the Rev Sumiyuki Watanabe.-Early history:...

 (JELC) as well as other churches on mission work in post-war Japan. With the information gathered, the LCMS came to the conclusion that they should send missionaries to northern Japan where the Lutheran presence was scarce in order to avoid redundancies among the various Lutheran churches and missions operating in Japan and a resolution was adopted accordingly.

In September 1948, the LCMS installed the first missionary to Japan and declared the start of the Japan Mission, in accordance with the resolution adopted. With the passing of the in 1950 legalising commercial and private broadcasting, The Lutheran Hour

The Lutheran Hour

The Lutheran Hour is a U.S. religious radio program that proclaims the message of Jesus Christ on nearly 800 stations throughout North American, as well as by weekly audiences on the American Forces Network and XM Satellite Radio FamilyTalk 170...

 radio program started broadcasting in 1951.

The NRK was officially recognised as a religious body in Japan in 1953. Cooperation with the JELC remained close and in the same year, the NRK established School of Theology was merged with JELC's Lutheran Theological Seminary. In 1966, both the NRK and the JELC came into full communion

Full communion

In Christian ecclesiology, full communion is a relationship between church organizations or groups that mutually recognize their sharing the essential doctrines....

 with the adoption of the Establishment of Pulpit and Altar Fellowship and the Agreement on Cooperation in Theological Education agreements. This opened the door for the NRK's participation in activities organised by the Lutheran World Federation

Lutheran World Federation

The Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of national and regional Lutheran churches headquartered in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. The federation was founded in the Swedish city of Lund in the aftermath of the Second World War in 1947 to coordinate the activities of the...

 (LWF). In 1968, the self-governing NRK was established and it became self-supporting in 1976.

In 1997, the NRK sent a delegation to the LWF's Assembly in Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

 and became an associate member of the LWF in 1999. Prior to that, the NRK had already been a full member of the confessional International Lutheran Council

International Lutheran Council

The International Lutheran Council is a worldwide association of confessional Lutheran denominations. It is to be distinguished from the larger Lutheran World Federation, which is an association of the more theologically moderate to liberal Lutheran churches, all of which are in full communion with...

 that was constituted in 1993.

Congregations by geographical regions

• Hokkaidō
  Hokkaido
  , formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
  
  
• Hokkaidō
  Hokkaido
  , formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
  
  

Congregations in the cities of Asahikawa

Asahikawa, Hokkaido

is a city in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital of the subprefecture and the second-largest city in Hokkaido, after Sapporo. It has been a Core city since April 1, 2000...

, Ebetsu

Ebetsu, Hokkaido

is a city located in Ishikari, Hokkaidō, Japan.- History :Ebetsu was settled originally by Japanese people in 1871, that came from the Miyagi Prefecture on Honshu Island. In 1878, militia men began moving into the area. When the Meiji Government, in 1878, designated Hokkaido as part of Japan,...

, Fukagawa

Fukagawa, Hokkaido

is a city located in Sorachi Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 24,448 and the density of 50.36 persons per km². The total area is 529.12 km².The city was founded on May 1, 1963....

, Kitami

Kitami, Hokkaido

is a city located in Okhotsk Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the most populous city and the commercial center in the subprefecture, although the subprefectural capital is Abashiri.Kitami is in central Okhotsk Subprefecture. The Kitami Mountains are nearby....

, Otaru

Otaru, Hokkaido

is a city and port in Shiribeshi, Hokkaido, Japan, northwest of Sapporo. The city faces the Ishikari Bay, and has long served as the main port of the bay. With its many historical buildings, Otaru is a popular tourist destination...

, Sapporo, and Takikawa

Takikawa, Hokkaido

is a city located in Sorachi Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 44,465 and the density of 384 persons per km². The total area is 115.82 km².The city was founded on July 1, 1958.-History:...

 as well as in the towns of Iwanai

Iwanai, Hokkaido

is a town located in Iwanai District, Shiribeshi, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 2008, the town has an estimated population of 15,700 and a density of 225.78 persons per km². The total area is 70.64 km².Iwanai is one of the oldest towns in the region...

 and Suttsu

Suttsu, Hokkaido

is a town located in Suttsu District, Shiribeshi, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 2008, the town has an estimated population of 3,606 and a density of 40.29 persons per km². The total area is 95.36 km².-External links:* in Japanese...

• Tōhoku
  Tohoku region
  The is a geographical area of Japan. The region occupies the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region consists of six prefectures : Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata....
  
  
• Fukushima
  Fukushima Prefecture
  is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region on the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Fukushima.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Fukushima prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....
  
  

Congregations in the cities of Fukushima

Fukushima, Fukushima

is the capital city of Fukushima Prefecture in the Tōhoku Region of Japan. As of May 2011 the city has an estimated population of 290,064 and an area of 746.43 km².It lies about 250 km north of Tokyo and 80 km south of Sendai.-History:...

, and Kōriyama

Koriyama, Fukushima

is a city in the center of the Nakadōri region of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. As of May 2011, the city had an estimated population of 336,328. The total area is 757 km²....

• Kantō
  Kanto region
  The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Within its boundaries, slightly more than 40 percent of the land area is the Kantō Plain....
  
  
• Gunma
  Gunma Prefecture
  is a prefecture of Japan located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region on Honshu island. Its capital is Maebashi.- History :The remains of a Paleolithic man were found at Iwajuku, Gunma Prefecture, in the early 20th century and there is a public museum there.Japan was without horses until...
  
  

A congregation in the city of Tatebayashi

Tatebayashi, Gunma

is a city located in Gunma, Japan.As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 79,755, with a household number of 34,413, and the density of 1,307.89 persons per km²...

• Saitama
  Saitama Prefecture
  is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
  
  

Congregations in the cities of Hannō

Hanno, Saitama

is a city in Saitama Prefecture, Japan.As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 82,683 and a population density of 614.29 per km²...

 and Saitama

Saitama, Saitama

' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...

• Chiba
  Chiba Prefecture
  is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...
  
  

A congregation in the city of Funabashi

Funabashi, Chiba

is a city located in northwestern Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the city had an estimated population of 609,157 and a population density of 7110 persons per km². The total area was 85.64 km². It is the 7th most populous city in Greater Tokyo....

• Tokyo
  Tokyo
  , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
  
  

Congregations in the wards of Adachi

Adachi, Tokyo

is one of the Special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It is located north of the heart of Tokyo. The ward consists of two separate areas: a small strip of land between the Sumida River and Arakawa River and a larger area north of the Arakawa River...

, Chiyoda

Chiyoda, Tokyo

is one of the 23 special wards in central Tokyo, Japan. In English, it is called Chiyoda ward. As of October 2007, the ward has an estimated population of 45,543 and a population density of 3,912 people per km², making it by far the least populated of the special wards...

, Minato

Minato, Tokyo

is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 1 March 2008, it had an official population of 217,335 and a population density of 10,865 persons per km². The total area is 20.34 km².Minato hosts 49 embassies...

, Ōta

Ota, Tokyo

is one of the 23 Special wards of Tokyo, Japan.As of May 1, 2011, the ward has an estimated population of 676,458, with 348,492 households, and a population density of 11,376.69 persons per km²...

 and Suginami

Suginami, Tokyo

is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it calls itself Suginami City.As of April 1, 2011, the ward has an estimated population of 538,703, with 301,277 households, and a density of 15,834.39 persons per km². The total area is 34.02 km².-Geography:Suginami occupies the...

 as well as the city of Hino

Hino, Tokyo

is a city located in central Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 182,092 and a population density of 6,610 persons per km². The total area was 27.53 km².-Geography:...

• Kanagawa
  Kanagawa Prefecture
  is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
  
  

Congregations in Fujisawa

Fujisawa, Kanagawa

is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 407,731 and a population density of 5,870 people per km². The total area is 69.51 km²-Geography:...

, Kawasaki

Kawasaki, Kanagawa

is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, between Tokyo and Yokohama. It is the 9th most populated city in Japan and one of the main cities forming the Greater Tokyo Area and Keihin Industrial Area....

, and Yokohama

Yokohama

is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...

• Chūbu
  Chubu region
  The is the central region of Honshū, Japan's main island. Chūbu has a population estimate of 21,886,324 as of 2008.Chūbu, which means "central region", encompasses nine prefectures : Aichi, Fukui, Gifu, Ishikawa, Nagano, Niigata, Shizuoka, Toyama, Yamanashi, and often Mie.It is located directly...
  
  
• Niigata
  Niigata Prefecture
  is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Honshū on the coast of the Sea of Japan. The capital is the city of Niigata. The name "Niigata" literally means "new lagoon".- History :...
  
  

Congregations in the cities of Nagaoka

Nagaoka, Niigata

is a city located in the central part of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It is the second largest city in the prefecture, behind the capital city of Niigata...

, Niigata

Niigata, Niigata

is the capital and the most populous city of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It lies on the northwest coast of Honshu, the largest island of Japan, and faces the Sea of Japan and Sado Island....

, Sanjō

Sanjo, Niigata

is a city located in central part of Niigata, Japan. The city has a Jōetsu Shinkansen stop at Tsubame-Sanjō Station.- Geography :Sanjō is located in the center of Niigata prefecture. It is about 2 hours from Tokyo by way of the Jōetsu Shinkansen or 4 hours on the Kan-Etsu Expressway and Hokuriku...

, and Shibata

Shibata, Niigata

is a city located in Niigata, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 103,101 and the density of 194 persons per km². The total area is 532.82 km².The city was founded on January 1, 1947....

• Kyūshū
• Okinawa
  Okinawa Prefecture
  is one of Japan's southern prefectures. It consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū to Taiwan. Okinawa's capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island...
  
  

A congregation in the village of Nakagusuku

Nakagusuku, Okinawa

is a village located in Nakagami District, Okinawa, Japan.As of 2008, the village has an estimated population of 16,462 and a density of 1,065 persons per km². The total area is 15.46 km²....

Ministries

Education is emphasized as a means of communicating the Gospel

Gospel

A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...

. Accordingly, the NRK operates Urawa Lutheran School in Urawa

Urawa-ku, Saitama

is a ward of Saitama City, Japan. It is surrounded by Midori-ku , Minami-ku , Chūō-ku , Ōmiya-ku , and Minuma-ku of Saitama city....

 and Holy Hope School in Hannō

Hanno, Saitama

is a city in Saitama Prefecture, Japan.As of April 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 82,683 and a population density of 614.29 per km²...

. The NRK also operates the Japan Lutheran College

Japan Lutheran College

thumb|200px|Japan Lutheran Collegethumb|200px|Chapel is a private university in Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded 1909 in Kumamoto, Kumamoto. It was chartered as a university in 1964. The present name was adopted in 1996....

 in cooperation with the JELC and several members of the NRK sits on the college's Board of Regents. The NRK also operates 11 kindergartens, four preschools, an elementary school, two middle schools, two secondary schools, and a Japanese and English Language Institute (both as the Lutheran Language

Language

Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...

 Institute).

The Volunteer Youth Ministry program provides for lay missionaries who commit themselves for 2½ years in ministry serving as English language teachers. Most of the volunteers are young college graduates.

Ecumenism

The NRK is not associated with ecumenical organizations such as the National Christian Council in Japan, the Christian Conference of Asia

Christian Conference of Asia

The Christian Conference of Asia is a regional ecumenical organisation representing 17 National Councils and 100 denominations in 21 countries:- Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Laos, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan,...

 or the World Council of Churches

World Council of Churches

The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...

. However, the NRK is a full member of the International Lutheran Council

International Lutheran Council

The International Lutheran Council is a worldwide association of confessional Lutheran denominations. It is to be distinguished from the larger Lutheran World Federation, which is an association of the more theologically moderate to liberal Lutheran churches, all of which are in full communion with...

 as well as an associate member of the Lutheran World Federation

Lutheran World Federation

The Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of national and regional Lutheran churches headquartered in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. The federation was founded in the Swedish city of Lund in the aftermath of the Second World War in 1947 to coordinate the activities of the...

.

Relationship with other Lutheran churches

The work of Lutheran missionaries resulted in the establishment of five major Lutheran church bodies and a number of smaller ones, with a total membership of approximately 30,000. The largest of these, with about 20,000 members, is the JELC. Other Lutheran churches include the Kinki Evangelical Lutheran Church

Kinki Evangelical Lutheran Church

The or KELC is a Lutheran church in Japan. It currently has approximately 2,759 baptized members in 29 congregations nationwide .The current president is the Rev Shigeo Sueoka.-History:...

, the West Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Japan Lutheran Brethren Church, the Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church

Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church

The or JELC is a Lutheran church in Japan. It currently has approximately 21,990 baptized members in 122 congregations nationwide.The current president of the JELC is the Rev Sumiyuki Watanabe.-Early history:...

 and the Fellowship Deaconry Evangelical Church (Marburger Mission).

Cooperation among the various Lutheran churches in Japan is common, particularly with respect to outreach ministries. Church planting plans are mutually shared in order to avoid duplications. Most of the Lutheran churches have also joined together to form the , which publishes Christian books and materials; one notable endeavor being in the publication of a common Lutheran hymnal.

The NRK and the JELC sponsor a joint seminary in Tokyo, the Japan Lutheran Theological Seminary while the other Lutheran seminary in Kobe

Kobe

, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...

is sponsored by the Kinki Evangelical Lutheran Church and the West Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church.