In Celebration and Thanksgiving for the Life of John Masanao Watanabe
by Timothy M. Nakayama

This is a report on the death on July 10, 2002 of the Rt. Rev. John Masanao Watanabe, retired Bishop of Hokkaido, and a former Primate of the Nippon Sei Ko Kai (NSKK). Japanese death notices regularly report cause of death and age of the deceased. Bishop Watanabe was 79 years of age and died of gall bladder cancer.

Bishop Watanabe was born in an area presently occupied by Russia. After his ordination, he served for many years in the Diocese of Hohhaido as a parish priest, and then as bishop. During that time he was elected by the House of Bishops to serve as NSKK’s primate (titular head), and he served several biennial terms in that leading post.

Following his retirement, Bishop Watanabe moved to Dar es Salam, Tanzania, and he served in that region as chaplain of the church’s Mission to Seafarers. He developed health problems while in East Africa, and underwent heart surgery in London.

In an indication of the high esteem with which Bishop Watanabe was held, a Diocesan Requiem Eucharist in his honor was celebrated by the present Bishop of Hokkaido, Nathaniel Makoto Uematsu. The preacher was the Rt. Rev. Christopher Ichiro Kikawada, retired Bishop of Osaka and a former Primate of NSKK. In attendance were many clergy and lay people, not only from the Hokkaido diocese but also the neighboring Diocese of Touhoku, including the Rt. Rev. John Tadao Sato. A priest from Okinawa, hours away, was also in attendance to pay respects, as were the Roman Catholic bishop of Sapporo, several Roman Catholic priests, and representatives of many other denominations. Bishop Watanabe was respected by Christians from throughout Japan, and his memorial service paid testimony to his lasting legacy of faith and service.