Directors-in-Chief Sanctioned
On March 26, Honbu-in Yoichiro Miyamori, 64, and Honbu-in Zensuke Nakata, 59, received sanction as the Director-in-Chief of Religious Affairs and the Director-in-Chief of Administrative Affairs, respectively. Rev. Miyamori is serving his second term, and Rev. Nakata his third term.
Director-in-Chief Miyamori was born on July 31, 1956, and received the truth of the Sazuke in 1975. He was appointed as Honbu-seinen (HQ junior official) in 1979, committee member of Tenrikyo Young Men’s Association Headquarters in 1983, vice chairman of the association in 1989, Honbu-jun’in (HQ senior official) and Besseki Lecturer in 1996, Honbu-in (HQ executive official) in 2006, and head of the Religious Affairs Bureau in 2016. He became the head minister of Meihai Branch Church in 1994. He also served as chief of the Overseas Department’s America II Section (now Latin America Section), vice head of the Overseas Department and chief of Human Resources Development Section (now O.H.R.D.C.), head of the Overseas Department, member of Church Headquarters’ Executive Board, responsible officer of Religious Corporation Tenrikyo, and responsible officer of Religious Corporation Tenrikyo Church Headquarters. As the Director-in-Chief of Religious Affairs, he serves as representative officer of Religious Corporation Tenrikyo Church Headquarters as well.
Born on March 5, 1962, Director-in-Chief Nakata received the truth of the Sazuke in 1980. He was appointed as Honbu-seinen (HQ junior official) in 1985, committee member of Tenrikyo Young Men’s Association Headquarters in 1989, chairman of the association in 1995, Honbu-jun’in (HQ senior official) and vice head of the Religious Affairs Bureau in 1998, Besseki Lecturer in 2000, and Honbu-in (HQ executive official) in 2006. He became the head minister of Senkyo Branch Church in 2001. He also served as responsible officer of Religious Corporation Tenrikyo, member of Church Headquarters’ Executive Board, head of the Education and Nurture Department, and head of the Mission Department. As the Director-in-Chief of Administrative Affairs, he also serves as representative officer of Religious Corporation Tenrikyo.
Heads of Bureaus and Departments
Heads of bureaus and departments and chiefs of sections were appointed on March 27. Office of the Shinbashira Head Harunobu Nakayama, Department of Doctrine and Historical Materials Head Hiroaki Yamazawa, Religious Affairs Bureau Head Tadakazu Nishiura, Divine Gifts and Sanctions Bureau Head Ikuhiro Masui, and Director of Education and Nurture Bureau Hiroo Nagao were reappointed whereas Ritual Affairs Bureau Head Shigehito Kimura, Finance Bureau Head Masatoshi Masuno, and Security Bureau Head Umeo Izutsu were newly appointed in the Religious Headquarters. Religious Affairs Bureau Head Tadakazu Nishiura has taken on an additional role as head of Oyasato-yakata Management Bureau.
In the Administrative Headquarters, Administrative Affairs Department Head Yoshiyuki Nakano, General Affairs Department Head Tatsufumi Shikao, Doyusha Publishing Company President Yoshiji Matsumura, Pilgrim Reception Department Head Michiro Yamamoto, Property Management Department Head Haruo Maegawa, and Construction and Maintenance Department Head Eiichi Imamura were reappointed while Church Affairs Department Head Tadaharu Yamamoto, Mission Department Head Tomikazu Matsumura, Overseas Department Head Masaharu Matsuda, Transportation Department Head Tomoyuki Itakura, and Finance Department Head Zenkichi Tanaka were newly appointed.
Overseas Department
Rev. Masaharu Matsuda, former vice head of the department and chief of Translation Section, is now the department’s head. Rev. Akira Nakata, who formerly headed Europe and Africa Section, was appointed as the department’s vice head. The other appointments relating to the Overseas Department are as follows: Rev. Masuhiko Yoshikawa, who was formerly vice head of Religious Affairs Bureau, as senior department member; Rev. Takeshi Hashimoto, who was a staff member of General Affairs Section and Asia II Section, as chief of General Affairs Section; Rev. Hideki Kami, who worked in North America and Oceania Section, as chief of that section; and Rev. Michihiro Kiyose, formerly a staff member of General Affairs Section, as chief of Europe and Africa Section.
Rev. Zenkichi Tanaka, former head of the department, is now head of Finance Department. Rev. Hinao Nagao, former vice head of the department and chief of North America and Oceania Section, was appointed as Senior Managing Director of Tenri University Corporation. Rev. Mitsuzo Nakanishi, who formerly served as chief of General Affairs Section, is now a senior staff member of Besseki Lecture Section.
Reappointed to their positions were: Rev. Kiyoharu Masuda and Rev. Tomozo Hirano, senior department members; Rev. Masahito Seko, head of the Overseas Human Resources Development Committee; Rev. Toshiyuki Nakagawa, chief of Asia I Section; Rev. Junzo Matsuda, chief of Asia II Section; Rev. Hideyuki Kimura, chief of Latin America Section; and Rev. Yoshio Uchida, principal of Tenrikyo Language Institute.