From May 13 to June 2, 2024, thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses from Japan participated in a special preaching campaign in the metropolitan areas of Osaka and Tokyo, Japan. Additionally, some 350 Witnesses were invited from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, South Korea, and the United States to support the campaign.
Tokyo and Osaka have a combined population of over 15 million inhabitants. Local publishers participated alongside visiting brothers and sisters in various forms of the public ministry. They enjoyed many good conversations and were able to start a number of Bible studies.
While at a cart, one of our sisters prayed to speak with someone who was interested in studying God’s Word. Soon after, a man approached and expressed a desire to learn more about the Bible. Since he primarily spoke Chinese, the sister arranged for a local Chinese-speaking brother to visit him. The man attended a congregation meeting just two days after the initial conversation.
While participating in the door-to-door ministry, a sister spoke with a woman who agreed to watch the video Why Study the Bible? After viewing it, the woman said, “I have wondered about all the same questions that this video raised!” She eagerly accepted a Bible study and attended the next congregation meeting with our sister.
The campaign also provided a wonderful opportunity for the participants to enjoy the warm fellowship of our international brotherhood. Aika, a 20-year-old sister from Tatsuno, Japan, said: “This was an unforgettable experience. I’m so grateful to Jehovah for allowing me to participate in the campaign.” A local elder named Akihiro added: “We were very encouraged as we worked alongside our brothers and sisters from other countries. It added so much joy to our ministry.”
We are grateful to the large number of local and international volunteers who ‘offered themselves willingly’ for this special campaign and gave a “loud shout of praise to Jehovah.”—Psalm 110:3; Ezra 3:11.