Former Overseas Mission Department Head Yasuhito Shinomori passed away on November 7. He was 84. The funeral service was performed on the 11th at Moya 2, with the Shinbashira presiding.
Rev. Shinomori was born on April 15, 1926, and was a graduate of Kyoto University. He received the truth of the Sazuke in 1943 and became an instructor at the Head Minister Qualification Course in 1956. He became a committee member at the Young Men’s Association Headquarters in 1959 and was appointed as Besseki lecturer as well as vice-head of the Overseas Mission Department in 1968. The following year, he became a member of the Board of Directors of Tenrikyo Ichiretsukai Foundation. He also served as a member of the Overseas Medical Mission Committee from 1971. The following year, he was appointed as a member of the Preparation Committee for the 90th Anniversary of Oyasama as well as a member of the Steering Committee for the 90th Anniversary of Oyasama. He was made bishop of Tenrikyo Mission Headquarters in America in 1977. He became a member of the Preparation Committee for the Centennial Anniversary of Oyasama in 1981. The following year, he was made Honbu-in. In 1986, he was appointed as responsible officer of Religious Corporation Tenrikyo, a member of the Executive Board, head of the Overseas Mission Department, and a member of the Committee for Promoting Salvation Work. He became head of the Religious Affairs Bureau and a member of the Oyasato Committee in 1992. The following year, he was appointed as a member of the Board of Directors of Tenri University. In 1998, he became head of the Oyasato-yakata Management Bureau, a member of the Head Minister Qualifying Examination Committee, and a member of the Finance Audit Committee. He was made chief of the Sacred Rice Section of the Divine Gifts and Sanction Bureau in 2002 and also served at the Counseling Section of the bureau from 2004.
Over the years, he also served as counselor to 10 directly supervised churches―namely, Nakane, Komaki, Numazu, Edo, Tokyo, Zenhokudo, Sun’enzu, Kitaezo, Canada, and North America―as well as to two dioceses―Tokushima and Tokyo.