About
Currently many Japanese are living abroad for various reasons — ongoing studies, business ventures, international marriages. Under these circumstances, God's work of salvation in the lives of Japanese people is clearly seen as it extends to many different countries. The Gospel touches these people often while living overseas, and many of them become believers there, later returning to Japan. There are also those who became Christians in Japan but grow spiritually as they experience life overseas.
They can be greatly used after returning to Japan to witness to their families and friends and spread the Gospel message as they get connected to local churches. But in reality, many of these returnees suffer what is often called "reverse-culture shock" beyond the level they expected, affecting even their Christian lives — and as a result, regrettably, many Christians depart from their churches within a few years of returning home.
JCFN exists to close that gap.
JCFN was founded in 1990–91, at the intersection of the U.S. international-student mission movement and the growing recognition that returnees needed dedicated follow-up. According to founder Layton Chin, the idea came out of a late-1980s brainstorming conversation with Ned Hale (then head of IVCF USA's international student ministry): hold a conference specifically for returning students, right after the Urbana Missions Convention. That idea became JCFN. (Full history — translated from the original Japanese 20th-anniversary account — coming as the archive translation completes.)
Setsu Shimizu
North America Director
Raised in a ministerial family in Osaka; moved to Hawaii at 15. Re-dedicated her life to the Lord at Urbana '90, joined JCFN while at Fuller Seminary, and became director in 1994.
Manabu Nishikori
Board Chairman
Pastor, Japanese Christian Church of New Jersey.
Full staff, board, and associate staff roster available on request — several bios contain personal testimony, held back from this demo pending subject review.