Prior to the organization of the Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church (JELC) in 1920 and subsuquent to the formation of the United Lutheran Church in America (ULCA) in 1918, the Joint Conference of the Lutheran Missionaries Cooperating in Japan adopted "A Basis of Cooperation" between the Japan Mission of ULCA and the Nenkwai of the JELC. Two separate organizations, one missionary and one national, continued until 1947 when the Japan Lutheran Missionaries Association (JLMA) took the place of the autonomous missionary organization. The JLMA which was part of the ULCA was reorganized in 1962, albeit with the same name, to reflect the participation of the Augustana Lutheran Church and Finnish Evangelcial Lutheran Church missionaries as well as the new unified Lutheran Church in America (LCA).
From the description of Japan Lutheran Missionaries Association Files, 1970-1987. (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library). WorldCat record id: 39960035
