Branch Construction Needed to Keep Abreast

Just as a child’s clothing is continually outgrown, so too the facilities used by the Japan branch have repeatedly needed enlargement in order to care for the growth in the number of Witnesses in the country. In 1971, plans had been drawn up for a three-story factory and a five-story Bethel Home to be built in Numazu, with a clear view of beautiful Mount Fuji.

Originally, the factory buildings were used primarily to print the Japanese edition of The Watchtower and Awake! In this regard, printing the special issue of Awake! October 8, 1972, on the newly installed 40-ton Tokyo Kikai rotary press was a milestone. It was the first magazine produced by our brothers at our printery in Numazu. But the pressroom crew had much to learn. At times they wondered whether they would ever be able to operate the press properly. “In those days,” said a brother on the press crew, “some letters were so thickly inked that you could almost read them by touch!” Other characters were faint or patchy. However, as the brothers gained experience, the quality of printing steadily improved and the number of magazines placed in the field ministry increased.

When Brother Knorr spoke at the dedication program for those branch facilities in Numazu in 1973, the guests assembled in the empty space on the third floor of the new factory. Referring to what that floor would be used for, he said: “This empty space represents your faith. We believe that this space will be needed in a year or two. God’s organization is moving forward, and at a very fast speed.”

As Brother Knorr had predicted, the space was soon used up. By 1974 two more buildings were needed—one for storing supplies and the other to house the workers. “This was the first construction that the Witnesses undertook all by themselves in Japan,” says Toshio Honma. “We were a bit concerned as to whether there would be enough experienced workers or not. God blessed us by providing people like Tadazo Fukayama, a construction overseer with over 30 years’ experience with a major building contractor.”

After years of work that had taken him away from home, Tadazo had just quit his job in order to spend more time with his family. So he had mixed feelings when he was asked to consider the possibility of coming to Numazu to supervise the Bethel expansion. Would he have to leave his family behind again? “No!” came the response from the branch. His wife and two sons, 18 and 20 years of age, were also invited.

Although the structures built at that time were relatively small compared with what was to come, this project gave the brothers experience and the confidence that with Jehovah’s help they could tackle even greater projects.

Branch office in Tokyo, 1949-62

Branch office in Tokyo, 1963-73

Branch facilities in Numazu, 1972-82