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Professionals Who Found Real Lifetime Employment

THE night air was frigid and the water icy cold. Two hundred young men and women, clothed in white robes and holding candles high above their heads, waded into the water chest-deep. An initiation rite of some mystic cult? Or perhaps a youthful prank?

These young high school and university graduates were joining thousands of others their age in what might be considered a rite of passage into a professional career with a big company in Japan. The icy mass baptism was intended to purge prospective employees of any independent tendencies they might have acquired at school and to strengthen their bond of loyalty to the company.

Professionalism and Dedication

“In Japan the job is the society. The society is the job,” writes Frank Gibney in his book Japan: The Fragile Superpower. What this means is that once a person enters a company, his whole life revolves around it. “If he works for Mitsubishi, he is a Mitsubishi man. Most of his friends come from Mitsubishi. He drinks with them, golfs or bowls with them, and shares his troubles with them. He competes with them, surely, but like siblings competing within a family which no one would think of leaving. With the exception of his relatives, and possibly a few school friends, most of his associations​—and often those of his family’s—​go on within the framework of the company.”

In exchange for such dedication and self-sacrifice, the workers are given security in the form of lifetime employment. This includes endless training, orientations, transfers, and, of course, promotions.

Most young people in Japan readily accept this formula for success and become part of the system. Others, though not climbing the corporate ladder, are struggling to move ahead in other professional fields. But does such a system bring happiness and satisfaction? Does lifetime employment mean lifetime enjoyment? More and more are finding out that there is something better and more rewarding than climbing the corporate ladder or struggling to achieve personal wealth and fame.

His Job Was His Life

Junichi was graduated from the Keio University School of Commerce in 1961. Following in the footsteps of traditional university graduates, he joined a prestigious corporation. In his case, this was the largest car dealership in Japan, with some 4,700 employees. His climb up the corporate ladder was steady. Eventually, he became section chief in his department. Though his work, often from morning to midnight, left him virtually no time for his wife and five children, he accepted all of this as the necessary sacrifice for a secure future.

But something happened in October 1974. Junichi found out that his wife and children were studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses and attending Christian meetings. He did all he could to stop them, including moving out on them, but to no avail.

One day when he came home from work, the family had gone to the meetings. “I found the table set for my dinner, and there was a letter for me,” said Junichi. “In the letter, my family told me that they could never give up the truth, that it was really for my benefit, too, and that one day I would understand.” This made quite an impression on Junichi. “I thought that perhaps this was the truth, and I stopped opposing them.”

“As time went on, the Witnesses would come and visit me and encourage me to study the Bible. This was where my professional life began to interfere. I was so busy at work that I felt I could never take time for Bible study and meetings. Then I knew that if I were to study, I would have to stop the sharp practices and frequent late-night entertaining associated with the job. Since that would hurt the business, I hesitated to study.”

But with the encouragement of the Witnesses, Junichi began studying and soon progressed to the point of dedicating his life to God and getting baptized. Even though he still has his full-time job, Junichi has found what he considers real lifetime employment. Since March 1978, he has been serving continuously as an auxiliary pioneer, spending 60 hours a month in the preaching work.

Has Junichi benefited from his new way of life? “Yes, I have. I find that I am much more productive during the day in order to keep evenings free for pursuing Kingdom interests with my family. I have had many opportunities to witness to my fellow workers and to study the Bible with other men who are busy with secular jobs as I used to be. Two have been baptized, and I am studying with three others. I thank Jehovah for his patience with me.”

He Wanted to Get Rich Quick

As one of six children in the family, Takafu survived World War II air raids on Nagoya City with the shirt on his back and a get-rich-quick philosophy. At the urging of his uncle, he entered a professional bicycle-racing school at the age of 15. By the time he was 22, he had ‘made it’ as an A-class cycle racer, with appearances at races all over the country. He remembers seeing his mother offering his winnings before the family altar as a token of gratitude. It appeared that Takafu had reached his goal in life and that everything was moving upward.

Then a missionary of Jehovah’s Witnesses called at his home and gave Takafu some food for thought. Such words as these, spoken by Jesus, stuck in his mind and heart: “What benefit will it be to a man if he gains the whole world but forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:26) In time, Takafu progressed in Bible knowledge and realized that some changes would have to be made.

“As a professional cyclist, I knew that bicycle racing and gambling go hand in hand,” said Takafu. “But still the decision was not easy. I had devoted seven years of my life to the sport, and my earnings seemed to be essential to my family’s welfare. But I had learned from the Bible that Moses and Paul faced similar decisions and chose the better course. So did I.” Takafu took up a new race​—the race for life—​and he has continued in it till this day, for some years assisting congregations as a traveling overseer.

His Business Took All His Time

Satoshi was in the women’s garment business. As the successful owner of four boutiques, he was financially secure. But his dealings in the business world also led him to the conclusion that worldwide pollution, food shortage, and war would soon spell the end of human existence. Thus, when a Witness called with a pamphlet giving the assurance that God would not permit this, Satoshi’s interest was aroused.

But his business stood in his way. “Because of fierce competition, slowing down would mean losing one’s business,” said Satoshi. “It is a case of ‘eat or be eaten.’ The saying in the trade is that if you are not really busy you must be bankrupt.” So it took two years, plus a great deal of effort, before Satoshi finally decided to have a Bible study.

After he became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, he sold two of his shops and has ‘shop masters’ look after the other two. Though Satoshi now works only two or three days a month as an accountant and consultant, he says: “I still have sufficient income. I want to put my service to Jehovah God first.” Now he is pursuing his real profession in the full-time ministry, serving as a pioneer. He and his family are making fine spiritual progress.

His Profession Helped Him to Find God

Hiroshi was working in his family tin shop. But his real interest was in nature photography. He got to be so good at it that some of his insect photographs were published. By the time he was 29, he was into nature photography professionally.

“From my study of insects,” Hiroshi recalls, “I thought that if God did exist, he must have a good sense of humor. That led me to doubt the theory of evolution, and I became a little interested in the Bible.”

On one winter’s day, two Witnesses called on Hiroshi. “When I accepted from them two magazines that contained articles on animals, they offered to study the Bible with me at my home,” said Hiroshi. “I thought that since I did not have to go to a church to study, I wouldn’t have to become a member. So I agreed.” Though he was surprised when he learned what the Bible has to say about the Creator, he quickly accepted it. His interest in creation became secondary to love for Jehovah.

Hiroshi now supports his family as a free-lance photographer. But his true profession is being a full-time minister.

They Found Something Better

The list goes on and on of professionals in Japan who changed their lives​—and, sometimes, their jobs—​when they came to know Jehovah and his purposes. Their ranks include doctors, dentists, architects, computer programmers and system designers, teachers, veterinarians, hairdressers, executives, and so on.

At one time, all these professionals were fully dedicated to their work. Upon learning that this system of things is nearing its end, they made a professional decision. They put their jobs in their proper place and started pursuing something better​—God’s Kingdom and its promised blessings. (Matthew 6:33) Relinquishing what they had formerly thought would be their lifetime employment, they have become professionals in a new field. They have taken up lifetime employment as pioneer servants of the Most High, Jehovah God.

[Picture on page 23]

Cycling champion Takafu Yamaguchi