“Miyo Matsukata”

Mary Baker Eddy Library, The. “Miyo Matsukata.“ Released 6 May 2019.

Miyo Matsukata’s article, “History of the Church Universal as Unfolded in Tokyo, Japan” is available through The Mary Baker Eddy Library’s article “Women of History: Miyo Matsukata.” Matsukata gives a history of Christian Science in Japan, beginning with visits by Christian Science lecturers sent from Church headquarters in Boston, and then sustained by the American military and educational presence in Tokyo. The first Japanese citizen to become interested in Christian Science was Sute Mitsui, who had first studied with a Christian missionary, although the date is not provided. Later, in 1915, an American schoolteacher held Christian Science services and Sunday School, in English. Matsukata, born in the United States and later moved to Japan claims, “The Orient presents difficulties unknown to any other section” (12), meaning that traditions were challenging and hostile to the growth of Western and Christian sects. Before World War II, Japanese translations of Christian Science articles were discouraged as ineffective because, “…the consciousness of the Japanese is not ready yet to accept one universal God…” (20). Development of the church in Japan was a function of those who had contact with the United States and could read English, as well as direct aid from the Boston Church headquarters.

View this resource on The Mary Baker Eddy Library website.

See also annotation: 

Precious Legacy: Christian Science Comes to Japan by Emi Abiko