In Memoriam: Rev. Gentaro Kajikuri 1937-2012

| December 26 2012

On behalf of the Unification Church of America and the world, I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to Rev. Gentaro Kajikuri for his exemplary life of public service to God and True Parents. After fifty years of dedication, never wavering from the path of filial piety, he has now taken on one final and glorious mission, working together with our beloved True Father so recently ascended to Heaven.

The American church in particular will always be grateful and indebted to the hard work and sacrifice of all our brothers and sisters in Japan, of whom Rev. Kajikuri was a noble and shining example. We offer our prayers and condolences to the entire Japanese church, and most especially to Mrs. Eriko Kajikuri and all of his family. Though we will all miss him dearly, your loss is the greatest. Please be comforted in the sure knowledge of Heavenly Father’s grace and the very high regard in which members all over the world hold Rev. Kajikuri, a true and loyal champion of God.

Sincerely,

アメリカと世界の統一教会を代表して、神様と真の御父母様への公的献身の模範的生涯を捧げられた故梶栗玄太郎先生に心より敬意と感謝の気持ちをお捧げいたします。

50年にも亘り不変なる忠孝の歩みを捧げられた梶栗先生は、今 永遠なる栄光ある使命を全うされる為に慕ってやまない天上におられる真のお父様の下に旅立たれました。

アメリカの教会は、いつも日本の兄弟姉妹のご苦労と犠牲に感謝しており、また負い目を感じております。その中で特に梶栗先生は、苦労と犠牲の高貴な輝かしい模範でした。

全日本の統一教会の皆様、特に奥様でいらっしゃる梶栗恵李子夫人およびご家族の皆様へ心よりのお悔やみを申し上げます。

私たちは梶栗先生の旅立ちを心から寂しく思いますが、皆様におかれましては、その感ひとしおかと存じ上げます。

全世界の兄弟姉妹が梶栗先生を神の真なる忠誠のチャンピオンとして高く尊敬しております。

神様の恩寵があります様に、そして心からお悔やみ致します。

米国統一教会副会長

Dr. Michael Balcomb
Executive Vice President
Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity
mbalcomb@unification.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Tel: (212)-560-3440

Rev. Gentaro Kajikuri, president of HSA-UWC Japan, passed away at 6:10 am on December 26, 2012. He was 75 years old.



Rev. Kajikuri received the Blessing among the 43-couple Blessing group. He was inaugurated as the 12th president of HSAUWC Japan on July 14, 2009. As president, he pushed his physical limitations and worked at the front line until his passing. We thank Rev. Kajikuri for his jeongseong and hard work. Below are the details for his Gwihwan Ceremony and Seonghwa Ceremony.

  1. Gwihwan Ceremony: 6:00 p.m., December 27, 2012 (Thursday)

  2. Seonghwa Ceremony: 9:00 a.m., December 28, 2012 (Friday)

  3. Venue: Chapel Room, HSA-UWC Japan Headquarters

    • The Gwihwan Ceremony and Seonghwa Ceremony will both be held at this venue.

    • Address: 1-1-2 Shoto, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan

  4. Inquiries can be directed to the General Affairs of HSAUWC Japan.

    Tel: +81-3-3467-3192

Biography of Rev. Gentaro Kajikuri

Rev. Gentaro Kajikuri was inaugurated as the twelfth president of HSAUWC Japan on July 14, 2009. After taking office, Rev. Kajikuri made effort in providing spiritual guidance to church leaders and other members and in preparing the way for future generations by strengthening the church organization for the purpose of elevating our movement in Japanese society and winning the trust of the Japanese people.

When True Mother visited Japan in March this year, even though he could only move about in a wheelchair, he accompanied True Mother throughout her tour. This display of jeongseong touched the hearts of many Japanese members. In autumn this year, his doctor told Rev. Kajikuri that he had only four months to live. Nevertheless, he continued to visit the members in the Tokyo metropolitan area, investing himself to the very end in order to strengthen the church organization and inspire future generations of our movement.

Rev. Kajikuri was born in 1937 in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. He graduated from Shibaura Institute of Technology, where he had majored in civil engineering. He joined the Unification Church in November 1963. In the 1960s and 1970s, leftist groups in Japan were working to communize the nation. In 1971, Rev. Kajikuri was appointed secretary-general of the International Victory Over Communism Federation, which had been established in 1968 by True Father. As secretary-general, Rev. Kajikuri fought to preserve Japan’s national security.

In January 2010, he took office as the president of Victory Over Communism (VOC) Japan and president of the Federation for World Peace in Japan; he contributed greatly to the promotion of the VOC movement to Japanese people in all walks of life.

Rev. Kajikuri was a strong advocate of the Korea-Japan Tunnel as a means both to improving relations between Korea and Japan and to establishing everlasting peace in Northeast Asia. Rev. Kajikuri made effort in promoting the Korea-Japan Tunnel by speaking across Japan. Rev. Kajikuri and his wife Eriko have four sons and a daughter.

Sincerely,
Unification Church
World Mission Headquarters