United Church of Christ in Japan

The United Church of Christ in Japan
日本基督教団
Nihon Kirisuto Kyōdan
AbbreviationUCCJ
ClassificationJapanese Independent Church
AssociationsWorld Council of Churches
Christian Conference of Asia
National Council of Churches in Japan
RegionJapan
Eleven other countries
Origin24 June 1941
Fujimicho Church
Merger ofThirty-three denominations
SeparationsAnglican Church in Japan
Japan Assemblies of God
Japan Baptist Convention
Japan Holiness Church
Japan Lutheran Church
Reformed Church in Japan
The Salvation Army[1]
Nihon Kirisuto Kyokai (Church of Christ in Japan)
Numerous evangelical churches
Congregations1,725
Members160,000
Ministers2,189
Official website[1]

The United Church of Christ in Japan (UCCJ; Japanese: 日本基督教団 Nihon Kirisuto Kyōdan, or Kyōdan for short) is the largest Protestant denomination in Japan.[2] It is a union of thirty-three diverse Protestant denominations forcibly merged by the Japanese wartime government on June 24, 1941. The UCCJ, which is a Japanese Independent Church, is a member of the World Council of Churches (WCC).

Currently, the church has some about 200,000 members and 1,725 congregations served by 2,189 pastors.[3]

  1. ^ "United Church of Christ in Japan". Oikoumene. January 1948. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
  2. ^ "よくある質問 "FAQ"" (in Japanese).
  3. ^ "United Church of Christ in Japan | World Council of Churches". www.oikoumene.org. 1948-01-01. Retrieved 2024-02-16.