The 2023 Extraordinary Board Meeting of the Japan Federation
of the Don Bosco Past Pupils

By Chihiro Okawa, EXDB

Tokyo, Japan, 31 October 2023 --　The 2023 extraordinary board meeting of the Japan Federation of the Don Bosco Past Pupils was held on 28 October at the Meguro Salesian Community (Himon-ya Catholic Church) in Meguro, Tokyo, attended by the board members from five Salesian school alumni associations in Japan, Fr Provincial Jacob Hideaki Hamaguchi, SDB and Fr Shin Mishima, SDB, the Delegate of the federation. In fact, this was the first face-to-face board meeting in four years.

First, we discussed the revision of the statute of the Japan Federation. The proposed amendments include reducing the number of members of the Board of Directors, rotating the members from each alumni association for a two-year term, and ensuring that about half of the members are in their 40s or younger, thereby revitalizing the Japan Federation and its alumni associations. The proposal was unanimously approved.

Then, we elected the incoming board members for the fiscal years 2024 and 2025 (starting from April 2024), and Mr. Shinya Yokoyama (Vice President of the Salesio Gakuin Alumni Association) will assume the office of the next President of the Japan Federation. Half of the members of the incoming board of directors will be in their 40s or younger.

In addition to the above, the board of directors held active discussions and exchanged opinions on the future development of the Japan Federation. Among them, they shared their rich experiences of feeling connected as Don Bosco’s alumni beyond regional and school boundaries and the importance of further promoting exchanges among alumni associations of 5 schools in Japan. It was also decided to continue to positively consider the Japan Federation's efforts toward the 100th anniversary of the Salesians of Don Bosco's arrival in Japan in 2026.

Mr. Tsunehisa Kurachi, Vice President of the Japan Federation (President of the Salesio Gakuin Alumni Association), who chaired the board meeting, said, "I am truly happy to see you all again after the COVID-19. Our Japan Federation has reached a major milestone, and now we will take a new first step forward. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mr. Hiroshi Yoshida (Advisor to the Osaka Seiko Gakuin Alumni Association) who has served as the President of the Japan Federation since its foundation in 2015 until today, and I sincerely ask for your continued cooperation under the new executive structure," he concluded the board meeting.

After that, a small seminar was held with Fr Mishima as the speaker and the participants listened to his explanation of the Strenna for this year and next year.

We then moved to the Crypt of Himon-ya Church, where Fr Hamaguchi presided over a memorial service for the Salesians who had once served in the Salesian Schools in Japan and returned to heaven during the past four years and for the deceased members of the alumni associations who had contributed to the development of the Japan Federation, and spent a time of thanksgiving and prayer. The participants then moved to the church chapel for a tour, where they marveled at the colorful and prayerful space.

At the reception, the participants gathered around tables beyond the boundaries of their home alumni associations, and the school songs were performed along with updates from each school alumni association. As Don Bosco Past Pupils, we shared a family-like and joyful time. The meeting was concluded in gratitude for the wonderful day we had together.

---

---