We were excited to have 16 media coming to our press conference where we presented our Open Letter to the Emperor and Empress of Japan, asking for their support for our endeavours to keep Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution and to bring healing and justice to the victims of the Asia-Pacific War.
Kyodo News Agency reported the event immediately and the news was run in newspapers across Japan.
Here is the link to the Tokyo Shimbun article (by Kyodo).
http://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/s/article/2009071001000041.html
My friend and peacemaker Eiji Yoshikawa in Japan reported the event on his website, with photos.
http://eijitv.exblog.jp/11915693/
CBC reported our letter and the press conference with special attention on one of the signatories Florchita Bautista (Chit), whose father was tortured and killed by the Japanese Army in the Philippines.
The press conference was attended by the following media: Canadian Press/All Media Group/Metro Vancouver/CTV/CBC French/CBC News (Radio)/City TV/Vancouver Korean Press/Omni TV/Vancouver Shinpo/Media Q/Slangan Philippines News & Views/Sing Tao Daily/Fairchild TV/World Journal Daily/Global Chinese Press/CHMB AM1320
Here is the link to a photo album.
Here is the letter.
******************************************************
Their Imperial Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan
c/o Consulate-General of Japan in Vancouver
800-1177 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC
V6E 2K9
By Fax: 604-687-2236
July 9, 2009
Your Imperial Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan,
We are writing to you as some representatives of groups of Canadians that make up the rich diversity of this country: Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, and European. We hope you enjoyed your visit to Eastern Canada, and we would like to extend you our warm welcome to Vancouver, Canada’s gateway to the Asia-Pacific region.
With so many immigrants from all parts of Asia, we believe that Canada is an ideal place from which to promote peace and understanding among the Asia-Pacific nations. For example, Japanese-Canadians, along with people from other cultural heritages, have been working to raise awareness of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution. Here in Vancouver, one of the first Article 9 groups outside of Japan raised funds to send Canadian delegates to the world’s first Global Article 9 Conference held in Chiba, Japan.
As Canadians with Asian connections, we also work together to heal the wounds of Japanese aggressions in the Asia-Pacific region before and during the Second World War, and to learn from the history of devastating wars to create a peaceful future together. For example, every year a group of Canadian educators travels to China and Korea to learn about the history of the Asia Pacific War (1931-1945), including the Nanjing Massacre and Japan’s military sex slavery system. A group of Canadian students also travels to Japan every summer to learn about the history of atomic-bombing in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and these educators and students share their learning with the wider community when they return. Our aim is never to foster bitterness toward a specific country or group of people; instead, our goal is to create an environment for open-minded learning that transcends national borders and cultural differences.
While our educational activities have been well-received among communities in Canada, Asia and beyond, we have witnessed many non-reconciliatory responses from Japan to the global community’s efforts to help bring healing and justice to the war crime victims of this tragic chapter of history. The Japanese Parliament has yet to pass a resolution that fully admits and apologizes for Japan’s responsibility for the loss and suffering of the victims of the Asia-Pacific War, or to pass laws that stipulate compensation to those victims.
Canada is among the nations that are concerned with these issues. On November 28, 2007 the Canadian House of Commons unanimously passed a motion urging the Japanese government to take full responsibility for the involvement of the Japanese Imperial Forces in the system of forced "comfort women”, to offer a formal and sincere apology to these women, and to continue to address those who are affected in the spirit of reconciliation. Although Canada as a nation has not been perfect in addressing its own past wrongdoings, one of Canada’s achievements in this regard has been the compensation of Canadians of Japanese ancestry who were interned during the Asia-Pacific War. We would also like to see such redress offered Japanese government to the Canadian POWs captured in the Battle of Hong Kong and to the victims of China, Korea, the Philippines, and all the other countries and regions where Japan’s military committed war crimes. We would also like to see Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution remain as it is, as we and many people in Asia see Article 9 as Japan’s pledge to the world never again to engage in wars of aggression.
Your Imperial Majesties, we are aware and appreciative of how much you have demonstrated a commitment to peace and history issues. For example, your paying tribute to the Korean victims’ monument when you visited Saipan in 2005 was considered a gesture of reconciliation. When you visited China in 1992, you also expressed regret for the suffering that Japan brought to China during the Asia-Pacific War. Your words were a positive step toward healing a historical wound. Your 1993 visit to the Okinawa sites where tens of thousands of civilians died in the war was also appreciated by many people throughout Japan and beyond. We would like to appeal for your continued efforts to help bring healing and justice to the victims of atrocities committed by Japan before and during the Asia-Pacific War, and for your for support of the endeavours to keep Article 9 intact in the spirit of peace.
Thank you for your attention to our letter, and again, we would like to sincerely welcome you to Canada’s West Coast. We hope you will enjoy the beautiful sunshine, ocean and mountains of our land, and the rich and dynamic communities of our multicultural society.
Yours faithfully,
(Signed by the following organizations)
Thekla Lit
Co-chair, Canada ALPHA (Association for Learning & Preserving the History of
WWII in Asia)
Satoko Norimatsu
Founding Director, Peace Philosophy Centre
Tatsuo Kage
Member, Human Rights Committee of Japanese Canadian Citizens Association
Ellen Woodsworth
President, Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom, Vancouver
Fernando P. Salanga
President, Philippine War Veterans & Ex-servicemen Society of BC
Jane Ordinario
Chairperson, Migrante-BC
Beth Dollaga
Chair, Canada-Philippines Solidarity for Human Rights
Kevin Sung,
Director, Korean Drama Club Hanuree
****************************************************
I am happy that our letter got a lot of attention from the local and international media. I hope it will reach the hands of the Emperor and the Empress.
I will follow up with more information.
Satoko
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Press Conference regarding an Open Letter to the Japanese Emperor and Empress by Vancouver's Peace and Ethnic Groups
MEDIA ALERT
WHAT:
Press Conference regarding an OPEN LETTER to the Japanese Emperor and Empress issued by multi-ethnic organizations
WHEN:
July 9, 2009 (Thursday) at 10:30 am
WHERE:
Ovans Room, G/F, BC Teachers’ Federation Building, 550 – West 6th Avenue, Vancouver
Representatives of the multi-ethnic organizations to speak at the press conference:
WHAT:
Press Conference regarding an OPEN LETTER to the Japanese Emperor and Empress issued by multi-ethnic organizations
WHEN:
July 9, 2009 (Thursday) at 10:30 am
WHERE:
Ovans Room, G/F, BC Teachers’ Federation Building, 550 – West 6th Avenue, Vancouver
Representatives of the multi-ethnic organizations to speak at the press conference:
- Thekla Lit, Co-chair of Canada ALPHA (Association for Learning & Preserving the History of WWII in Asia)
- Satoko Norimatsu, Founding Director of Peace Philosophy Centre
- Tatsuo Kage, Member of Human Rights Committee, Japanese Canadian Citizens Association
- Dr. Marlene Le Gates, Acting President of Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom, Vancouver
- Fernando P. Salanga, President of Philippine War Veterans & Ex-servicemen Society of BC
- Jane Ordinario, Chairperson of Migrante-BC
- Kevin Sung, Director of Korean Drama Club Hanuree
MEDIA CONTACT PERSONS:
Thekla Lit (604-313-6000) or Satoko Norimatsu (604-619-5627)
BACKGROUNDER:
Representatives of groups of Canadians that make up the rich diversity of this country: Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, and European extend their warm welcome to the Japanese Emperor and Empress’s visit to Canada. At the same time, they appeal to the Emperor for his continued efforts to bring healing and justice to the victims of atrocities committed by Japan before and during the Asia-Pacific War, and for his support of the endeavours to keep Article 9 intact in the spirit of peace.
The Open Letter will be made public at the press conference, and will be put on this website immediately after that.
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
6 Japanese Parliamentarians Work for A-Bomb Monument and Museum in Washington, D.C.
Hiroshima Peace Media Center is an institute within Chuogoku Newspaper, which is widely read in the Chugoku Region (Western end of Honshu Island) of Japan. Their "Peace News" covers a wide range of topics from nuclear abolition to peace education.
One piece of bright news that I found recently is:
Japanese parliamentarians seek to establish A-bomb museum in Washington, D.C.
The "NPT Promotion Committee" that consists of 6 parliamentarians from different parties, plans to unveil a monument to "express the hope of eliminating nuclear weapons" in next May, when the NPT Review Conference takes place. Also some time in the next year, they aim to open "a permanent museum to convey the consequences of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki."
Peter van den Dungen, who leads the International Network of Museums for Peace, said during the 6th International Conference of Museums for Peace in Hiroshima in October 2009, that he would like to see A-bomb museums in the capital cities of all the nuclear-possessing countries. This move initiated by a group of Japanese parliamentarians will be a great start.
According to Chugoku Newspaper, the six members of the "NPT Promotion Committee" are:
Minoru Terada, LDP (House of Representatives,) 寺田稔（自民、衆院広島５区）
Tsutomu Tomioka, LDP (House of Representatives) 富岡勉（自民、衆院比例九州＝長崎１区）
Hideo Hiraoka, DPJ (House of Representatives) 平岡秀夫（民主、衆院山口２区）
Kenzo Fujisue, DPJ (House of Councilors) 藤末健三（民主、参院比例）
Nobuto Hosaka, SDP(House of Representative) 保坂展人（社民、衆院比例東京）
Akira Kasai, JCP (House of Representative) 笠井亮（共産、比例東京）
(LDP=Liberal Democratic Party; DPJ=Democratic Party of Japan; SDJ=Social Democratic Party of Japan; JCP=Japan Communist Party)
While it is great to see collaboration across the party boundaries, I wonder: where are the women? I should make an inquiry.
Satoko
One piece of bright news that I found recently is:
Japanese parliamentarians seek to establish A-bomb museum in Washington, D.C.
The "NPT Promotion Committee" that consists of 6 parliamentarians from different parties, plans to unveil a monument to "express the hope of eliminating nuclear weapons" in next May, when the NPT Review Conference takes place. Also some time in the next year, they aim to open "a permanent museum to convey the consequences of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki."
Peter van den Dungen, who leads the International Network of Museums for Peace, said during the 6th International Conference of Museums for Peace in Hiroshima in October 2009, that he would like to see A-bomb museums in the capital cities of all the nuclear-possessing countries. This move initiated by a group of Japanese parliamentarians will be a great start.
According to Chugoku Newspaper, the six members of the "NPT Promotion Committee" are:
Minoru Terada, LDP (House of Representatives,) 寺田稔（自民、衆院広島５区）
Tsutomu Tomioka, LDP (House of Representatives) 富岡勉（自民、衆院比例九州＝長崎１区）
Hideo Hiraoka, DPJ (House of Representatives) 平岡秀夫（民主、衆院山口２区）
Kenzo Fujisue, DPJ (House of Councilors) 藤末健三（民主、参院比例）
Nobuto Hosaka, SDP(House of Representative) 保坂展人（社民、衆院比例東京）
Akira Kasai, JCP (House of Representative) 笠井亮（共産、比例東京）
(LDP=Liberal Democratic Party; DPJ=Democratic Party of Japan; SDJ=Social Democratic Party of Japan; JCP=Japan Communist Party)
While it is great to see collaboration across the party boundaries, I wonder: where are the women? I should make an inquiry.
Satoko
8 Japanese Municipalities Have Submitted Position Statements on the "Comfort Women" Issue
As of July 1, 2009, a total of eight municipalities in Japan have submitted a position statement on the wartime military sex slavery issue to the central government.
These eight cities are:
Takarazuka City, Hyogo
Kiyose City, Tokyo
Sapporo City, Hokkaido
Fukuoka City, Fukuoka
Mitaka City, Tokyo
Mino-o City, Osaka
Koganei City, Tokyo
Kyo-tanabe City, Kyoto
As an example, here is the translation of Mino-o City's position statement.
http://ajwrc.org/jp/modules/bulletin/index.php?page=article&storyid=465
(Start)
Bill submitted by members of City Council Member No. 13
Position Statement Requesting sincere handling of "Comfort Women" issue by Japanese Government
It has been 64 years since Japan caused massive suffering to neighbouring countries in the war. To date the wounded of the victims of war have still not been healed.
The U.S. Congress, in July 2007, has passed "the resolution that demands the Japanese Government to officially admit and apologize for the fact that the Japanese military coerced women into sex slaves."
Subsequently, similar resolutions passed the parliaments of Netherlands,Canada, and EU, and international organizations like the United Nation shave issued recommendations for swift resolution of the matter. Back in1993, then Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kohno announced a statement which reads, "We would like to convey our apology and repentance. We should further seriously discuss how and in what form our country can express these feelings". There has been, however, no progress since then.
We, therefore, request that the Japanese Government investigate the truths of the "Comfort Women" issue, pay efforts to recover the dignity of the victims, and deal with this matter sincerely so that it does not contradict Kohno Statement. Here we submit this position statement in accordance with the Article 99 of Local Government Law.
June 22, 2009
City Council of Mino-o
(End)
I wanted to share these positive moves bravely taken by cities of Japan, and I hope the list will be longer. Cities are often more progressive than states. One great example is Mayors for Peace, a network of 2,963 cities in 134 countries that are together working for abolition of nuclear weapons. Tadatoshi Akiba, Mayor of Hiroshima City, which initiated the organization with Nagasaki City, argue that cities are directly accountable for the safety of their citizens while states get away with lying to people.
Cities don't draft people away to war and and kill them. States do. The world is a collective body of cities, towns, villages and other territories. Yet we tend to look at the world as a collection of states more often than otherwise. We can change this mindset. Some people think it is worthwhile dying for one's country, but would one die for a city? Maybe not. Why can't one die for a city while one can die for a state? The only explanation I can give is that states propagate to its people how wonderful it is to die for them.
Way to go for those cities who stand up and go out of their way (their cities) for a peaceful world!
Satoko
These eight cities are:
Takarazuka City, Hyogo
Kiyose City, Tokyo
Sapporo City, Hokkaido
Fukuoka City, Fukuoka
Mitaka City, Tokyo
Mino-o City, Osaka
Koganei City, Tokyo
Kyo-tanabe City, Kyoto
As an example, here is the translation of Mino-o City's position statement.
http://ajwrc.org/jp/modules/bulletin/index.php?page=article&storyid=465
(Start)
Bill submitted by members of City Council Member No. 13
Position Statement Requesting sincere handling of "Comfort Women" issue by Japanese Government
It has been 64 years since Japan caused massive suffering to neighbouring countries in the war. To date the wounded of the victims of war have still not been healed.
The U.S. Congress, in July 2007, has passed "the resolution that demands the Japanese Government to officially admit and apologize for the fact that the Japanese military coerced women into sex slaves."
Subsequently, similar resolutions passed the parliaments of Netherlands,Canada, and EU, and international organizations like the United Nation shave issued recommendations for swift resolution of the matter. Back in1993, then Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kohno announced a statement which reads, "We would like to convey our apology and repentance. We should further seriously discuss how and in what form our country can express these feelings". There has been, however, no progress since then.
We, therefore, request that the Japanese Government investigate the truths of the "Comfort Women" issue, pay efforts to recover the dignity of the victims, and deal with this matter sincerely so that it does not contradict Kohno Statement. Here we submit this position statement in accordance with the Article 99 of Local Government Law.
June 22, 2009
City Council of Mino-o
(End)
I wanted to share these positive moves bravely taken by cities of Japan, and I hope the list will be longer. Cities are often more progressive than states. One great example is Mayors for Peace, a network of 2,963 cities in 134 countries that are together working for abolition of nuclear weapons. Tadatoshi Akiba, Mayor of Hiroshima City, which initiated the organization with Nagasaki City, argue that cities are directly accountable for the safety of their citizens while states get away with lying to people.
Cities don't draft people away to war and and kill them. States do. The world is a collective body of cities, towns, villages and other territories. Yet we tend to look at the world as a collection of states more often than otherwise. We can change this mindset. Some people think it is worthwhile dying for one's country, but would one die for a city? Maybe not. Why can't one die for a city while one can die for a state? The only explanation I can give is that states propagate to its people how wonderful it is to die for them.
Way to go for those cities who stand up and go out of their way (their cities) for a peaceful world!
Satoko
Friday, June 26, 2009
More Than 8,000 Sue NHK for "Prejudiced Reporting" on Japanese Rule of Taiwan
Yomiuri and Yukan Fuji (by Fuji Sankei Group) reported this large-scale lawsuit against NHK's program on Taiwan under the Japanese colonial rule. Numerous right-wing organizations are involved with this,and spread the word to the general public to gather this many people as plaintiffs of the lawsuit. There has been lots of information going around, and while I am verifying their sources, I will first post translation of news by Yomiuri. I have a recorded DVD of this program on Taiwan, as part of the NHK's 3-year long project "Project Japan" When I first saw it, I was surprised to see how NHK bravely depicted the Japanese rule of Taiwan from the points of view from people of Taiwan. I had a similar reaction when I saw the Prologue of this series ”150 Years of Peace and Wars", in which the history of humanity's efforts to illegalize war was thoroughly illustrated with implication of Article 9 as its ultimate manifestation. So I am not surprised at all that these programs would be targets of right-wingers' attacks, but I did not expect them to take form of this massive lawsuit, and the censorship by members of LDP, which I reported in the previous post.
Here is the Yomiuri news.
Yomiuri Newspaper
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/entertainment/news/20090625-OYT1T00922.htm
「台湾統治で偏向報道」視聴者８千人がＮＨＫ提訴
More than 8,000 viewers sues NHK for "Prejudiced Reporting on Ruling of Taiwan"
日本の台湾統治を扱ったＮＨＫの番組を巡り、全国の視聴者約８３００人が２５日、「事実と異なる偏向報道が行われた」として、ＮＨＫに対し、１人あたり１万円の慰謝料を求める訴えを東京地裁に起こした。
8,300 viewers filed a lawsuit against NHK about their program that dealt with the Japanese rule of Taiwan, claiming "untruthful and prejudiced reporting" at the Tokyo District Court. Each plaintiff is asking for10,000 yen (approximately US$100) for compensation.
問題とされたのは、４月５日に放送された「シリーズＪＡＰＡＮデビュー」の第１回「アジアの“一等国”」。訴状によると、番組では台湾人に対する日本政府の弾圧や差別が描かれていたが、原告らが出演した台湾人に確認したところ、本人の意図が歪曲(わいきょく)されていたと主張。「ＮＨＫの手法は公平な報道を定めた放送法に違反する」と訴えている。
The program that was regarded problematic was "First-Class Country of Asia", the first of the series "Series Japan Debut". According to the complaint, the program depicted the oppression and discrimination against the people of Taiwan by the Japanese government, but when some of the plaintiffs checked with the people of Taiwan who were interviewed, the intention of the interviewees had been distorted. They claim that "NHK's approach is against the Broadcasting Law that stipulates fair reporting."
放送後、一部の原告がインターネットなどで視聴者に訴訟参加を呼び掛けた。
After this program was aired, some of the plaintiffs called for other viewers to join the lawsuit using the Internet and other media.
ＮＨＫ広報局の話「訴状を受け取っておらずコメントできない。番組内容には問題がなかったと考えている」
The Public Relations Department of NHK said, "We have not received the complaint yet, so we are unable to comment. We believe there was no problem with the content of the program."
（2009年6月25日22時05分 読売新聞）
(Yomiuri Newspaper, 22:05 PM, June 25, 2009)
In response to the viewers' feedback, NHK released further explanation on the contentious issues in the program on their website. http://www.nhk.or.jp/japan/asia/index.html I will try to post more detailed analysis of the content of the program as soon as possible.
Satoko
Here is the Yomiuri news.
Yomiuri Newspaper
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/entertainment/news/20090625-OYT1T00922.htm
「台湾統治で偏向報道」視聴者８千人がＮＨＫ提訴
More than 8,000 viewers sues NHK for "Prejudiced Reporting on Ruling of Taiwan"
日本の台湾統治を扱ったＮＨＫの番組を巡り、全国の視聴者約８３００人が２５日、「事実と異なる偏向報道が行われた」として、ＮＨＫに対し、１人あたり１万円の慰謝料を求める訴えを東京地裁に起こした。
8,300 viewers filed a lawsuit against NHK about their program that dealt with the Japanese rule of Taiwan, claiming "untruthful and prejudiced reporting" at the Tokyo District Court. Each plaintiff is asking for10,000 yen (approximately US$100) for compensation.
問題とされたのは、４月５日に放送された「シリーズＪＡＰＡＮデビュー」の第１回「アジアの“一等国”」。訴状によると、番組では台湾人に対する日本政府の弾圧や差別が描かれていたが、原告らが出演した台湾人に確認したところ、本人の意図が歪曲(わいきょく)されていたと主張。「ＮＨＫの手法は公平な報道を定めた放送法に違反する」と訴えている。
The program that was regarded problematic was "First-Class Country of Asia", the first of the series "Series Japan Debut". According to the complaint, the program depicted the oppression and discrimination against the people of Taiwan by the Japanese government, but when some of the plaintiffs checked with the people of Taiwan who were interviewed, the intention of the interviewees had been distorted. They claim that "NHK's approach is against the Broadcasting Law that stipulates fair reporting."
放送後、一部の原告がインターネットなどで視聴者に訴訟参加を呼び掛けた。
After this program was aired, some of the plaintiffs called for other viewers to join the lawsuit using the Internet and other media.
ＮＨＫ広報局の話「訴状を受け取っておらずコメントできない。番組内容には問題がなかったと考えている」
The Public Relations Department of NHK said, "We have not received the complaint yet, so we are unable to comment. We believe there was no problem with the content of the program."
（2009年6月25日22時05分 読売新聞）
(Yomiuri Newspaper, 22:05 PM, June 25, 2009)
In response to the viewers' feedback, NHK released further explanation on the contentious issues in the program on their website. http://www.nhk.or.jp/japan/asia/index.html I will try to post more detailed analysis of the content of the program as soon as possible.
Satoko
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Political Pressure on NHK Programs
From Mainichi Newspaper on June 12, 2009:
http://mainichi.jp/select/seiji/news/20090612ddm012200144000c.html
Liberal Democratic Party established "Association of MPs to Think About Public Broadcasting"
自民党：公共放送を考える議員の会が発足総会
(Belowing is the English translation of the Mainichi News by Satoko)
On June 11, a group of LDP Members of Parliament launched "Association of MPs to Think About Public Broadcasting." The new group claim that the NHK Special "Series Debut of Japan Part I 'First-Class Country of Asia'" (aired on April 5, 2009) was biased. The chair is Keiji Furuya 古屋圭司 (House of Representatives), and the Executive Director is Tomomi Inada 稲田朋美(House of Representatives). The launching general meeting held within the Parliament Building were attended by 60 MPs including former Prime Ministers Yoshiro Mori 森喜朗, Shinzo Abe 安倍晋三, and former Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa 中川昭一.
The program examined Japan's rule of Taiwan based on testimonies by the people involved, and the archival material "Governor-General of Taiwan Archivals" (台湾総督府文書). Some private organizations complained to NHK that this program "had an anti-Japan tone throughout," and another LDP's group "Group of MPs to Think About the Future of Japan and History Education" (chaired by Nariaki Nakayama) also submitted a letter of inquiries.
Here is the original Mainichi news.
ＮＨＫスペシャル「シリーズ ＪＡＰＡＮデビュー 第１回アジアの“一等国”」（４月５日放映）の内容が偏向していたなどとして、自民党の国会議員有志でつくる「公共放送のあり方について考える議員の会」が１１日発足した。会長に古屋圭司氏（衆院議員）、事務局長に稲田朋美氏（同）が就任。国会内で開かれた設立総会には森喜朗、安倍晋三の両元首相、中川昭一前財務・金融相ら約６０人が出席した。
番組は、日本による台湾統治について、関係者の証言や歴史資料「台湾総督府文書」などから検証。一部の市民団体がＮＨＫに対して「反日で貫かれている」などと抗議したほか、自民党の議員連盟「日本の前途と歴史教育を考える議員の会」（中山成彬会長）も質問状を出した。
This is a very dangerous move by right-wing politicians to intervene with NHK on the content of their programs. Shinzo Abe and Shoichi Nakagawa are known as having put political pressure on NHK and made them changed much of the content and the tone of their program that reported "Women's International War Crimes Tribunalon Japan's Military Sexual Slavery", held in 2000. Tomomi Inada is known as having attempted to make phone calls and to influence Naoji Kariya, the 90-year old sword master who appeared in "Film Yasukuni" (directed by Ying Li, 2007). We must be alert and be aware of these politicians' move to censor and change TV program and films that are inconvenient for their version of history, in which they often deny Japan's past wrongdoings like sex slavery and Nanjing Massacre, claim that the colonization of Korea and Taiwan were beneficial for those countries, and essentially believe the invasive 15-year wars of Japan against China and fellow Asian nations were just wars.
Such news is hardly reported in English so I feel it is my responsibility to get the word out, outside of Japan. I will follow up with more information.
Satoko
http://mainichi.jp/select/seiji/news/20090612ddm012200144000c.html
Liberal Democratic Party established "Association of MPs to Think About Public Broadcasting"
自民党：公共放送を考える議員の会が発足総会
(Belowing is the English translation of the Mainichi News by Satoko)
On June 11, a group of LDP Members of Parliament launched "Association of MPs to Think About Public Broadcasting." The new group claim that the NHK Special "Series Debut of Japan Part I 'First-Class Country of Asia'" (aired on April 5, 2009) was biased. The chair is Keiji Furuya 古屋圭司 (House of Representatives), and the Executive Director is Tomomi Inada 稲田朋美(House of Representatives). The launching general meeting held within the Parliament Building were attended by 60 MPs including former Prime Ministers Yoshiro Mori 森喜朗, Shinzo Abe 安倍晋三, and former Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa 中川昭一.
The program examined Japan's rule of Taiwan based on testimonies by the people involved, and the archival material "Governor-General of Taiwan Archivals" (台湾総督府文書). Some private organizations complained to NHK that this program "had an anti-Japan tone throughout," and another LDP's group "Group of MPs to Think About the Future of Japan and History Education" (chaired by Nariaki Nakayama) also submitted a letter of inquiries.
Here is the original Mainichi news.
ＮＨＫスペシャル「シリーズ ＪＡＰＡＮデビュー 第１回アジアの“一等国”」（４月５日放映）の内容が偏向していたなどとして、自民党の国会議員有志でつくる「公共放送のあり方について考える議員の会」が１１日発足した。会長に古屋圭司氏（衆院議員）、事務局長に稲田朋美氏（同）が就任。国会内で開かれた設立総会には森喜朗、安倍晋三の両元首相、中川昭一前財務・金融相ら約６０人が出席した。
番組は、日本による台湾統治について、関係者の証言や歴史資料「台湾総督府文書」などから検証。一部の市民団体がＮＨＫに対して「反日で貫かれている」などと抗議したほか、自民党の議員連盟「日本の前途と歴史教育を考える議員の会」（中山成彬会長）も質問状を出した。
This is a very dangerous move by right-wing politicians to intervene with NHK on the content of their programs. Shinzo Abe and Shoichi Nakagawa are known as having put political pressure on NHK and made them changed much of the content and the tone of their program that reported "Women's International War Crimes Tribunalon Japan's Military Sexual Slavery", held in 2000. Tomomi Inada is known as having attempted to make phone calls and to influence Naoji Kariya, the 90-year old sword master who appeared in "Film Yasukuni" (directed by Ying Li, 2007). We must be alert and be aware of these politicians' move to censor and change TV program and films that are inconvenient for their version of history, in which they often deny Japan's past wrongdoings like sex slavery and Nanjing Massacre, claim that the colonization of Korea and Taiwan were beneficial for those countries, and essentially believe the invasive 15-year wars of Japan against China and fellow Asian nations were just wars.
Such news is hardly reported in English so I feel it is my responsibility to get the word out, outside of Japan. I will follow up with more information.
Satoko
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Chikako Nagayama's Article in Nikkei Voice June 2009
Constitutional Advocate of Peace:
Bridging Nikkei Generations and Beyong through the Transitional "Article 9" Movement
By Chikako Nagayama
TORONTO–The May 15th event entitled“Article 9 of Japanese Constitution: Bringing Peace into Today's World” was the first collective initiative that introduced Toronto to the peace clause of Japan's Constitution,
“Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes…”
However, the clause has been under constant pressure for change.
Over 80 people attended the gathering at the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education (OISE) of the University of Toronto to learn about the historical and current analysis about Japan's remilitarization.
Author Joy Kogawa's opening remarks illustrated a complexity of the Japanese Canadian's position on discussing the forced relocation of Japanese descendants by the Canadian government, on one hand, and the massacre, rape and biological experiments on Chinese civilians by the Japanese imperial army, on the other.
Vancouver-born Kogawa recollected that the notions of the 'Japanese' she learned through her upbringing-love for family, industriousness and humbleness-were denied when her family were conceived as 'Japs' during the war. The brutality,backwardness and deception of the 'Jap' race were no longer a fabricated myth when backed up by the actual military violence.
Kogawa concluded, “if we lose Article 9, we will lose what is most mature, most humane, decent and hopeful in a world of conflict.”
Subsequently, the 78-minute documentary, Japan's Peace Constitution (Director John Junkerman, 2005), presented diverse advocatory arguments. Because the 1946 constitution was composed under the Allied occupation, today's Japanese nationalists would criticize that Article 9 as merely imposed on Japan by the General Headquarters (GHQ).
Two draft constitutions were prepared by Japanese research groups and one by GHQ. In the documentary film, Beate Sirota-Gordon bluntly reveals that the GHQ draft was prepared in a week by researchers like her who were new to the task.
While referencing constitutions of Weimer Germany, the Soviet Union and Scandinavian countries, Sirota-Gordon was instrumental in implementing the welfare rights of women in Japan, which were not realized in the U.S.constitution.
Former American marine and now resident in Okinawa, C. Douglas Lummis maintains that the constitution is an order from the citizens to the government, not an order from above. Historian Rokuro Hidaka advances that the peace constitution is Japan's apology to Asian people.
Whereas filmmaker Ban Zhongyi and feminist activist Shin Heisoo testify that Japan's military atrocities are vividly remembered and not yet brought to justice, journalists Michel Kilo and Josef Samaha implicate that the expansion of Japan's Self Defense Force to support US military operations is not only exasperating to neighbouring nations but also to the Middle East.
The peace clause has been pressured to accommodate the de facto military alliance granted by the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan.
Satoko Norimatsu, the director of the Peace Philosophy Centre based in Vancouver, called attention to the “New Constitution” draft, released by the Liberal Democratic Party in October 2006. LDP proposes to remove the prohibition against the possession of armed forces and the denial of the nation's right of belligerency from the current constitution. (Photo by Yusuke Tanaka)
The draft intends to allow Japan's right to exercise collective self-defense, which means Japan would 'fight back' at any country that attacks the U.S. Norimatsu asserted that this would deprive Article 9 of the suppressing role that has been played so far. “It is true that the government did dispatch the Self Defense Forces to the Indian Ocean,” she said. “But the SDF's duties were limited to providing logistical support for activities not directly related to theuse of force, and within non-combatant areas.”
Following Norimatsu, Yusuke Tanaka, an immigrant journalist, recalled one of the peaks of the global peace movement in May 1972 in Tokyo. The key issues were the Vietnam War and the reversion of Okinawa to Japan. Tanaka emphasized that the U.S. military base in Okinawa is the largest in Asia, and Okinawans continue to be marginalized by Japanese mainlanders.
In 2007, the Ministry of Education ordered the modification of history textbooks' account of the battle of Okinawa at the end of the Asia Pacific war, so that Japanese army's enforcement of residents' mass suicide was ambiguated. Met by angry protests by political leaders and activists from Okinawa, the ministry acknowledged that the army was the cause of the mass suicide.
“Article 9 should not be treated as a national treasure,” stated Tanaka, alluding that the false notion of Japan as a peaceful country could further the neglect of discrimination issue against the Okinawans.
While the influence of the U.S. military was repeatedly highlighted throughout the panel,Peter Kuznick offered insights into how people's patriotic consciousness can be challenged. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial reinforces patriotism by commemorating 58,000 deaths of American soldiers while excluding nearly four million casualties of Vietnamese soldiers and civilians.
As professor of the Nuclear Studies Institute at American University in Washington D.C., Kuznick has taken his students to annual study trips to Hiroshima and Nagasaki in collaboration with Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan,since 1995. He also complicated the impression of General Douglas McArthur, who tends to be depicted as a saviour to Japan. McArthur believed that the Atomic bomb was not needed to end the war.
However, Kuznick pointed out, he was at the same time responsible for maintaining the Emperor system, and later wanted to use the Abomb to attack China. Although it is commonly said that nuclear weapons were only used twice in history, Kuznick stressed, it is rather like a gun, which allows the control of others without pulling the trigger.
Hiroshima survivor Setsuko Thurlow followed to tell that the transition from restrictive, hierarchical imperialist society to post-1945democracy was liberating, but GHQ did not do justice to A-bomb survivors when they sent doctors only to investigate effects of the bomb but not to rescue the wounded. GHQ censored publications and confiscated personal correspondences on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
As Norimatsu suggested, Article 9 associations are rapidly growing across Japan and overseas. The movement for preserving and realizing the peace clause now counts over 7000 groups in Japan. Norimatsu and David McIntosh of the Toronto Article 9 Event Committee are among the original members of the Vancouver Save Article 9 launched in May 2005.
From May 4 to 6, 2008, the first international Article 9 conference was held in Japan, and was attended by over 30,000 people from Japan and overseas. Four students from Canada were given the opportunity to attend the conference with the help of funds raised.
The May 15 event highlighted the unique capacity of urban metropolises such as Toronto and Vancouver to connect transnational movements and mediate Nikkei generations, given the large size of their communities and active pursuit of exchanges fostered therein.
Chikako Nagayama is completing her Ph.D. at the Department of Sociology and Equity Studies in Education at OISE/UT in summer 2009.
(This is an article from the June Issue of Nikkei Voice, reporting the Article 9 Event in Toronto on May 15th. See also related articles - announcement, my report with photos, and Joy Kogawa's speech.)
Bridging Nikkei Generations and Beyong through the Transitional "Article 9" Movement
By Chikako Nagayama
TORONTO–The May 15th event entitled“Article 9 of Japanese Constitution: Bringing Peace into Today's World” was the first collective initiative that introduced Toronto to the peace clause of Japan's Constitution,
“Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes…”
However, the clause has been under constant pressure for change.
Over 80 people attended the gathering at the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education (OISE) of the University of Toronto to learn about the historical and current analysis about Japan's remilitarization.
Author Joy Kogawa's opening remarks illustrated a complexity of the Japanese Canadian's position on discussing the forced relocation of Japanese descendants by the Canadian government, on one hand, and the massacre, rape and biological experiments on Chinese civilians by the Japanese imperial army, on the other.
Vancouver-born Kogawa recollected that the notions of the 'Japanese' she learned through her upbringing-love for family, industriousness and humbleness-were denied when her family were conceived as 'Japs' during the war. The brutality,backwardness and deception of the 'Jap' race were no longer a fabricated myth when backed up by the actual military violence.
Kogawa concluded, “if we lose Article 9, we will lose what is most mature, most humane, decent and hopeful in a world of conflict.”
Subsequently, the 78-minute documentary, Japan's Peace Constitution (Director John Junkerman, 2005), presented diverse advocatory arguments. Because the 1946 constitution was composed under the Allied occupation, today's Japanese nationalists would criticize that Article 9 as merely imposed on Japan by the General Headquarters (GHQ).
Two draft constitutions were prepared by Japanese research groups and one by GHQ. In the documentary film, Beate Sirota-Gordon bluntly reveals that the GHQ draft was prepared in a week by researchers like her who were new to the task.
While referencing constitutions of Weimer Germany, the Soviet Union and Scandinavian countries, Sirota-Gordon was instrumental in implementing the welfare rights of women in Japan, which were not realized in the U.S.constitution.
Former American marine and now resident in Okinawa, C. Douglas Lummis maintains that the constitution is an order from the citizens to the government, not an order from above. Historian Rokuro Hidaka advances that the peace constitution is Japan's apology to Asian people.
Whereas filmmaker Ban Zhongyi and feminist activist Shin Heisoo testify that Japan's military atrocities are vividly remembered and not yet brought to justice, journalists Michel Kilo and Josef Samaha implicate that the expansion of Japan's Self Defense Force to support US military operations is not only exasperating to neighbouring nations but also to the Middle East.
The peace clause has been pressured to accommodate the de facto military alliance granted by the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan.
Satoko Norimatsu, the director of the Peace Philosophy Centre based in Vancouver, called attention to the “New Constitution” draft, released by the Liberal Democratic Party in October 2006. LDP proposes to remove the prohibition against the possession of armed forces and the denial of the nation's right of belligerency from the current constitution. (Photo by Yusuke Tanaka)
The draft intends to allow Japan's right to exercise collective self-defense, which means Japan would 'fight back' at any country that attacks the U.S. Norimatsu asserted that this would deprive Article 9 of the suppressing role that has been played so far. “It is true that the government did dispatch the Self Defense Forces to the Indian Ocean,” she said. “But the SDF's duties were limited to providing logistical support for activities not directly related to theuse of force, and within non-combatant areas.”
Following Norimatsu, Yusuke Tanaka, an immigrant journalist, recalled one of the peaks of the global peace movement in May 1972 in Tokyo. The key issues were the Vietnam War and the reversion of Okinawa to Japan. Tanaka emphasized that the U.S. military base in Okinawa is the largest in Asia, and Okinawans continue to be marginalized by Japanese mainlanders.
In 2007, the Ministry of Education ordered the modification of history textbooks' account of the battle of Okinawa at the end of the Asia Pacific war, so that Japanese army's enforcement of residents' mass suicide was ambiguated. Met by angry protests by political leaders and activists from Okinawa, the ministry acknowledged that the army was the cause of the mass suicide.
“Article 9 should not be treated as a national treasure,” stated Tanaka, alluding that the false notion of Japan as a peaceful country could further the neglect of discrimination issue against the Okinawans.
While the influence of the U.S. military was repeatedly highlighted throughout the panel,Peter Kuznick offered insights into how people's patriotic consciousness can be challenged. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial reinforces patriotism by commemorating 58,000 deaths of American soldiers while excluding nearly four million casualties of Vietnamese soldiers and civilians.
As professor of the Nuclear Studies Institute at American University in Washington D.C., Kuznick has taken his students to annual study trips to Hiroshima and Nagasaki in collaboration with Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan,since 1995. He also complicated the impression of General Douglas McArthur, who tends to be depicted as a saviour to Japan. McArthur believed that the Atomic bomb was not needed to end the war.
However, Kuznick pointed out, he was at the same time responsible for maintaining the Emperor system, and later wanted to use the Abomb to attack China. Although it is commonly said that nuclear weapons were only used twice in history, Kuznick stressed, it is rather like a gun, which allows the control of others without pulling the trigger.
Hiroshima survivor Setsuko Thurlow followed to tell that the transition from restrictive, hierarchical imperialist society to post-1945democracy was liberating, but GHQ did not do justice to A-bomb survivors when they sent doctors only to investigate effects of the bomb but not to rescue the wounded. GHQ censored publications and confiscated personal correspondences on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
As Norimatsu suggested, Article 9 associations are rapidly growing across Japan and overseas. The movement for preserving and realizing the peace clause now counts over 7000 groups in Japan. Norimatsu and David McIntosh of the Toronto Article 9 Event Committee are among the original members of the Vancouver Save Article 9 launched in May 2005.
From May 4 to 6, 2008, the first international Article 9 conference was held in Japan, and was attended by over 30,000 people from Japan and overseas. Four students from Canada were given the opportunity to attend the conference with the help of funds raised.
The May 15 event highlighted the unique capacity of urban metropolises such as Toronto and Vancouver to connect transnational movements and mediate Nikkei generations, given the large size of their communities and active pursuit of exchanges fostered therein.
Chikako Nagayama is completing her Ph.D. at the Department of Sociology and Equity Studies in Education at OISE/UT in summer 2009.
(This is an article from the June Issue of Nikkei Voice, reporting the Article 9 Event in Toronto on May 15th. See also related articles - announcement, my report with photos, and Joy Kogawa's speech.)
Friday, June 12, 2009
Family Event: Earth Brothers ~planting seeds of peace~
On the 7th of June, we had a family event entitled "Earth Brothers ~Let's Plant Seeds of Peace" at Audrey's house in North Vancouver.
青い青いこの星に生まれた
みんな繋がって守ろう９条を
You and me, You and me
We are born on this beautiful star
We are one, all together
Watch the seeds of peace bloom for you.
It was a very meaningful and peaceful Sunday afternoon- the house was full of laughter, smiles, music, dances.....
For the story time, Sayuri and Noriko performed a very pretty doll play, "Stone Soup".
Joyfulness and happiness are something "we" create. They are not something just out there. They can be true only when we "share" with others.
As one of the activities for the event, each of us were asked to list " 9 things that make you feel "peace"" ( The reason for choosing the number "9" is that this event was sponsored by Vancouver Save Article 9 Association :-))
Each of us chose different things, but still, I could see there are sort of "common" image for "what is peace". Five super lucky people were picked up, and what they wrote were introduced to everyone. Those were such as Pigeon, Flowers, Nature, Laughter, Children's smiles, The Sun, and so on, and they were the same or similar ones to what I chose.
I, personally, listed these; Family, Friends, Children, Smile, The Sun, The Moon, Winds, Clear Blue Sky, Music. I talk about "Love and Peace" and I believe in "Love and Peace"; but contradictorily, I am not sure what exactly the definition of "Love and Peace" is....How do YOU define "peace"/ "love and peace"?
This song, "The Earth Brothers" composed by Kyogo Kawaguchi, seems to be giving us some hints to it. It might be to see yourself and others as "one", the "oneness".....We sang this song along with Taro's guitar and people's claps. We made Korean, Chinese, and English version for the main part of this song, and it made our singing much more fun!;-)
You can listen to the original full version of this song, sang by Kyogo Kawaguchi and other musicians here--> http://www.chikyukyodai.com/
The lyrics we edited for this event is following;
青い青いこの星に生まれた
みんな繋がって生きている兄弟さ
思い浮かべてみよう
世界中の人の笑顔
大人も子供もほらみんな笑ってる
ニューヨークの人もバンクーバーに住む人も
北京やソウルや東京の人も
国や政治や宗教や歴史もあるけど
同じ人として愛をもって さあ共に歩こう
青い青いこの星に生まれた
みんな繋がって生きている兄弟さ
You and me, You and me
We are born on this beautiful star
We are one, all together
Watch the seeds of peace bloom for you.
思い浮かべてみよう
争いのない一日を
悲しみの涙を誰も流さなくていい日を
飢えや貧困や思想の違いや差別
一人の人として愛をもって何が出来るだろう
青い青いこの星に生まれた
みんな繋がって生きている兄弟さ
푸르게 빛나는 아름다운 별에 태어난
모두가 하나되어 살아가는 우리는 형제
みんな繋がって生きている兄弟さ
思い浮かべてみよう
世界中の人の笑顔
大人も子供もほらみんな笑ってる
ニューヨークの人もバンクーバーに住む人も
北京やソウルや東京の人も
国や政治や宗教や歴史もあるけど
同じ人として愛をもって さあ共に歩こう
青い青いこの星に生まれた
みんな繋がって生きている兄弟さ
You and me, You and me
We are born on this beautiful star
We are one, all together
Watch the seeds of peace bloom for you.
思い浮かべてみよう
争いのない一日を
悲しみの涙を誰も流さなくていい日を
飢えや貧困や思想の違いや差別
一人の人として愛をもって何が出来るだろう
青い青いこの星に生まれた
みんな繋がって生きている兄弟さ
푸르게 빛나는 아름다운 별에 태어난
모두가 하나되어 살아가는 우리는 형제
好兄弟 好姐妹
我们住在这地球的堡垒
怎么分东南西北
该像一家人相交汇
青い青いこの星に生まれた
みんな繋がって守ろう９条を
You and me, You and me
We are born on this beautiful star
We are one, all together
Watch the seeds of peace bloom for you.
I really hope that I have other chances to sing this song with you again, and spread the words and music to more people.
Thank you very much everyone who were there!
Shoko
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Joy Kogawa's Speech for Article 9 Event in Toronto
(This original English version will be followed by the Chinese version.)
Article 9
(for May 15, 09, OISE/University of Toronto)
I'm a Canadian of Japanese descent. Every night as a small girl, my issei mother told me Japanese folk stories of love between parent and child. On the piano stood a green and gold statue of Ninomiya Kinjiro, a book open in his hands, twigs on his back, teaching himself to read as he worked. All this was the Japanese way. Love of family, love of learning, love of labour. To be Japanese was to be like my mother, yasashi, gentle, quiet, dignified, bending to the will of others.
But during World War II, to be Japanese meant something else altogether. Suddenly I was no longer Canadian and no longer Japanese. I was a Jap. According to the new reality, I was part of the most despised race on earth. What they were capable of, what they in fact did during the war defied description and defied belief. Beheadings, mass killings, rape, biological warfare, live burials, burning whole villages to the ground, tossing bodies into ten thousand people pits, unimaginable tortures, unimaginable medical experiments, unimaginable barbarity and cruelty.
Kill all burn all loot all.
Japan's complete loss of its moral compass was undergirded by a lie. The Yamato race was not superior.
Germany's children, unlike Japan's, have faced and acknowledged their horrific past. They learned the truths of the Holocaust, not from their parents, but from survivors. Germany, by enacting a law that it is a crime to deny the Holocaust, by compensating victims, by keeping the past in the consciousness of the country, has taken the necessary moral steps of a civilized society. Where in Japan, in the country of my ancestors, are the museums and the monuments, the movies, the books, the school projects, the special commemorations and the national outpouring of grief for its past atrocities?
In a time of fear and nuclear threat, the best defense I can think of for Japan is for its government and its people to fully express its collective sorrow and shame for its military actions during World War II. With deep and genuine apologies from the entire country, one could hope for relationships with neighbouring countries based on an enduring foundation of reconciliation and bonds of human affection that would be far deeper than one of mere convenience and commerce. If Japan continues to diminish or attempt to forget its atrocities, it will fail to develop the ways of peace, or to be a country of moral leadership.
As the horror of the militaristic spirit rises again in Japan, so too must the horror of its warring past. The children of Japan must know the truths of World War II and assume its burden.
The one thing that I find admirable in Japan, as a person of Japanese ancestry, is the existence of Article 9. It is Japan's primary and, I believe, its most effective acknowledgment of its culpability. If we lose Article 9, we will lose what is most mature, most humane, decent and hopeful in a world of conflict. We will lose what is best in today's Japan. I echo this last line from Tama Copithorne from whom I heard it first. Article 9 is the best of Japan.
Joy Kogawa
(This speech was given as an opening address of the Article 9 Event on May 15, 2009 held at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto.)
以下是Joy Kogawa女士演讲的中文全文翻译，由Arc Han翻译：
我是一个出生在加拿大的日本后裔。当我还是一个小女孩的时候，妈妈总喜欢在睡前给我讲日本的童话故事。家里的钢琴上站着一个金绿色的小雕像，一个手里总是拿着书本，背上背着背篓，一边劳作一边读书的二宫金次郎的雕像。每当想起这些就让我想起了妈妈。这些都是我从妈妈那儿学来的作为一个日本人的美德：爱家，勤劳，好学，温柔，平和，自尊而又顺从。
但是从二战爆发的那天起，作为一个日本人不再意味着这些优良品格了。突然之间我不再是一个加拿大人，也不再是一个日本人了，我成了一个“鬼子”。突如其来的现实告诉我，我属于地球上最残酷低等的种族。这个种族所能做的，以及他们事实上在战争中做过的恶行，难以言述，难以置信：砍头，屠杀，强奸，毒气，活埋，焚村，生物战，万人坑，无法想像的活体试验，无法想像的残忍和野蛮。烧光，杀光。
日本完完全全丧失了它的道德指南，被一个谎言牢牢绑住了。大和民族不是所谓的优越种族。
和日本的孩子们不一样，德国的年轻一代得以直面德意志民族的黑暗历史。不是从他们的父母，而是从幸存者那儿他们学到了种族大屠杀的真相。国会通过法律认定否定大屠杀历史是犯罪。他们认真地弥补受害者的伤痕，全民族在对历史问题的认识上保持一致，以此博得了重回文明社会的道德阶梯。然而日本，我祖先的家乡，可曾有修建纪念碑和纪念馆，可曾有出版书籍，制作电影，在学校里教授战争历史，可曾有在国家集会上抚平战争暴行带来的创伤？
生活在这样一个核威胁下的时代，我认为日本政府和人民最好的自我防卫就是向二战的受害者表达我们的歉意和羞耻。只有来自全体国民深刻真诚的道歉，才能真正和邻国建立起共识，才能在基于人道的立场上建立起长久的友谊关系。如果我们一直采取回避和遗忘的态度，我们将无法得到持久的和平，以及作为国家应有的道德立场。
在军事-民族主义又有抬头的当下，我们不应忘记过去战争带来的恐怖。日本的孩子们应当有权知道过去的真相，并勇敢承担历史的责任。
作为一个日本人的后裔，有一样东西让我对现在的日本感到骄傲。这就是宪法第九条。我认为这是日本最重要，也是最有效的对战争责任的回答。如果我们失去了宪法九条，我们也就失去了我们心中最人性，最高尚，最有智慧，最有希望的东西。我们就失去了现今日本最宝贵的东西。我赞成珠子·Copithorne女士的提议。我认为宪法九条是日本的珍贵财产。
Joy Kogawa 女士在2005年5月15日与多伦多大学教育系的宪法九条集会上作上述演讲。
Friday, June 05, 2009
The President of Japanese Defence University apoligized for aggresive war and suggested a constructive relationship for the future in Beijing
On June 1st, Makoto Iokibe, President of Japanese National Defence University, gave a speech in Beijing, China. He stated that we should build a new Japan-China-America triple-win relationship. He also apologized for the aggressive war of the imperial Japan. Here is the report from ChinaNews.Com and a full English translation of the report.
The original text of the ChinaNews.Com report:
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/news/2009/06-01/1714984.shtml
防卫大学校长在华演讲:侵略战争损害日本利益
The President of National Defence university gives an speech in China: the Aggressive War Damaged Japanese National Interests
“日本一方面跟美国关系很好，另一方面要和正在发展中的中国进行关系调整，我们不搞军事竞争，我们希望能够建造新型的亚太关系。”
On one hand, Japan maintains a good relation with the U.S.; on the other hand, Japan needs to adjust its relationship with the developing China. We shall not have military competition. We hope we can build a new relationship in the Asia-Pacific region.
6月1日，应中国科学与人文论坛理事长郑必坚邀请，日本著名政治外交和安全保障问题专家、日本防卫大学校长五百旗头真做客中国科学院研究生院，他在“中国科学与人文论坛”上发表演讲时作出上述表示。
On June 1st, invited by Mr. Zheng Bijian, the chairman of Chinese National Science and Humanities Forum, Mr. Iokibe Makoto, the president of Japanese National Defence University and a renowned expert in politics, diplomacy and security studies, gives this speech in the “Chinese National Science and Humanities Forum”.
五百旗头真认为，近代日本努力的学习西方文明，发现从中可以变为自己利用的部分。但是，日本进行了一些侵略活动，这深深伤害了亚洲各国人民的感情，也损害了日本国家的利益，遭到了失败。“作为日本人，日本发动侵略战争，我觉得对不起其他国家的人民。”
Mr. Iokibe says, after Meiji Restoration, Japan anxiously studied western civilization, and adopted some useful parts from them. However, Japan also committed some aggressive invasions, which deeply hurt the feeling of Asian countries. These aggressions ultimately damaged Japanese national interests and brought bitter defeats to Japan. “As a Japanese, I feel sorry for Asian people since Japan initiated the aggressive war.”
中国从19世纪中叶开始，超越了150年苦难的历程，现在是一个力量很大的国家。五百旗头真称，日本是一个岛国，日本不是像美国、中国这样的大国，但是可以建立日、中、美三国进行对话机制，共同构建全新的亚太关系，“这样大家都可以实现共赢”。
China suffered 150 years of hard time since the mid-19th century. Now it has become a powerful country, Mr. Iokibe says. Japan is an island country, not a super power-like China or the U.S.. However, it is possible and necessary to build a Japan-China-America conversation mechanism, and establish a new Asia-Pacific relationship. “Thus we can achieve a triple-win.”
构建新型亚太关系的过程中，人才是非常宝贵的财富。五百旗头真希望日中大学生跨越偏见、跨越历史，成为推动日中友好的新力量。“我希望学生能够向前看，进行更多的日中文化交流活动”。
In the process of establishing a new Asia-Pacific relation, brilliant youth are precious resources. Mr. Iokibe wishes Chinese and Japanese university students overcome cultural bias and history burden. Young students should become the new propelling force of a Japanese-Chinese friendship. “I hope students can look forward and have more cultural exchange activities.”
在题为《阪神-淡路大地震及其震后复兴的历史意义》的主题演讲中，五百旗头真还回顾了其14年前亲身经历的阪神大地震。他认为，地震是人生与历史被切断的瞬间，地震偶然间造成了生死被分开的现实。地震后的重建，不仅仅是复兴，而是进行对未来有意义的活动。他希望日中双方就地震预测、救援和灾后重建等问题展开全方位、深层次合作。
Mr. Iokibe’s speech is entitled “Hanshin-Awaji earthquake and the history meaning of the recovery efforts”. He first recalled his personal experience in the Hanshin Earthquake in 1995. He believes that the relationship between history and our life experience was cut at the time when earthquake happened. Earthquake accidentally created the reality of a separation of the living and the dead. The re-building after the earthquake does not just imply a physical re-construction. It is also a meaningful psychological recovery for the future. He wishes Japan and China establish a deep and comprehensive cooperation in fields such as earthquake prediction, rescue, and re-building.
据悉，日本防卫大学直属日本防卫省，是日本自卫队培养陆、海、空三军初级军官的学校，素有日军“军官的摇篮”之称。
The Japanese National Defence University is directly under the administration of the Ministry of Defence. It provides training and education to the SDF lieutenants and young officers. It is known as the cradle of Japanese military officers.
(The English translation by Arc Han)
The original text of the ChinaNews.Com report:
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/news/2009/06-01/1714984.shtml
防卫大学校长在华演讲:侵略战争损害日本利益
The President of National Defence university gives an speech in China: the Aggressive War Damaged Japanese National Interests
“日本一方面跟美国关系很好，另一方面要和正在发展中的中国进行关系调整，我们不搞军事竞争，我们希望能够建造新型的亚太关系。”
On one hand, Japan maintains a good relation with the U.S.; on the other hand, Japan needs to adjust its relationship with the developing China. We shall not have military competition. We hope we can build a new relationship in the Asia-Pacific region.
6月1日，应中国科学与人文论坛理事长郑必坚邀请，日本著名政治外交和安全保障问题专家、日本防卫大学校长五百旗头真做客中国科学院研究生院，他在“中国科学与人文论坛”上发表演讲时作出上述表示。
On June 1st, invited by Mr. Zheng Bijian, the chairman of Chinese National Science and Humanities Forum, Mr. Iokibe Makoto, the president of Japanese National Defence University and a renowned expert in politics, diplomacy and security studies, gives this speech in the “Chinese National Science and Humanities Forum”.
五百旗头真认为，近代日本努力的学习西方文明，发现从中可以变为自己利用的部分。但是，日本进行了一些侵略活动，这深深伤害了亚洲各国人民的感情，也损害了日本国家的利益，遭到了失败。“作为日本人，日本发动侵略战争，我觉得对不起其他国家的人民。”
Mr. Iokibe says, after Meiji Restoration, Japan anxiously studied western civilization, and adopted some useful parts from them. However, Japan also committed some aggressive invasions, which deeply hurt the feeling of Asian countries. These aggressions ultimately damaged Japanese national interests and brought bitter defeats to Japan. “As a Japanese, I feel sorry for Asian people since Japan initiated the aggressive war.”
中国从19世纪中叶开始，超越了150年苦难的历程，现在是一个力量很大的国家。五百旗头真称，日本是一个岛国，日本不是像美国、中国这样的大国，但是可以建立日、中、美三国进行对话机制，共同构建全新的亚太关系，“这样大家都可以实现共赢”。
China suffered 150 years of hard time since the mid-19th century. Now it has become a powerful country, Mr. Iokibe says. Japan is an island country, not a super power-like China or the U.S.. However, it is possible and necessary to build a Japan-China-America conversation mechanism, and establish a new Asia-Pacific relationship. “Thus we can achieve a triple-win.”
构建新型亚太关系的过程中，人才是非常宝贵的财富。五百旗头真希望日中大学生跨越偏见、跨越历史，成为推动日中友好的新力量。“我希望学生能够向前看，进行更多的日中文化交流活动”。
In the process of establishing a new Asia-Pacific relation, brilliant youth are precious resources. Mr. Iokibe wishes Chinese and Japanese university students overcome cultural bias and history burden. Young students should become the new propelling force of a Japanese-Chinese friendship. “I hope students can look forward and have more cultural exchange activities.”
在题为《阪神-淡路大地震及其震后复兴的历史意义》的主题演讲中，五百旗头真还回顾了其14年前亲身经历的阪神大地震。他认为，地震是人生与历史被切断的瞬间，地震偶然间造成了生死被分开的现实。地震后的重建，不仅仅是复兴，而是进行对未来有意义的活动。他希望日中双方就地震预测、救援和灾后重建等问题展开全方位、深层次合作。
Mr. Iokibe’s speech is entitled “Hanshin-Awaji earthquake and the history meaning of the recovery efforts”. He first recalled his personal experience in the Hanshin Earthquake in 1995. He believes that the relationship between history and our life experience was cut at the time when earthquake happened. Earthquake accidentally created the reality of a separation of the living and the dead. The re-building after the earthquake does not just imply a physical re-construction. It is also a meaningful psychological recovery for the future. He wishes Japan and China establish a deep and comprehensive cooperation in fields such as earthquake prediction, rescue, and re-building.
据悉，日本防卫大学直属日本防卫省，是日本自卫队培养陆、海、空三军初级军官的学校，素有日军“军官的摇篮”之称。
The Japanese National Defence University is directly under the administration of the Ministry of Defence. It provides training and education to the SDF lieutenants and young officers. It is known as the cradle of Japanese military officers.
(The English translation by Arc Han)
Thursday, June 04, 2009
平顶山惨案受害者及亲属对相原参议院的回复 A Survivor of Pingdingshan Massacre replies to PM Aihara's apology
Peace Philosophy Centre reported that the Japanese House of Counciors' member Aihara, on behalf of twenty-four members of the Japanese National Congress, visited Pingdingshan massacre museum on May 5th, 2009. Please see our article for details:
http://peacephilosophy.blogspot.com/2009/05/hoc-mp-aihara-apoligize-to-victims-of.html
In response, Ms. Wang Zhimei, the survivor of the massacre, and her son Zhang Yingfu write a reply to the twenty-four members of the Congress. Here are the original texts of their replies, in Chinese, and Japanese translation. A brief English translation is attached.
尊敬的相原久美子女士及二十四位众，参议员：
作为平顶山惨案幸存者，首先向你们表示由衷的谢意，感谢你们真诚和无私的声援。此次平顶山之行对你们的行为深有感触，你们不顾路途疲劳，夜来早归，为了给我们伸张正义，讨还公道你们不辞辛苦，你们的这种精神深深地感动了我，作为幸存者向你们深深地鞠上一躬，谢谢你们！
平顶山惨案是不可抹灭的历史事实，是日本军国主义在中国犯下的灭绝人性的罪行，他们肆无忌惮的屠杀手无寸铁的平民百姓，他们是十足的刽子手，现在想起当时的那一幕，还心有余悸，心里充满了恨，他们杀了我的全家人，这种恨深深地埋在我的心里。七十七年过去了，我要向日本政府讨还公道，要日本政府为我们死难同胞昭雪，向我们死难同胞谢罪。
这段历史是发生在我这一辈人身上，不要让这种民族恨，家族仇延续给下一辈人，作为最起码的人性，不应该向受害者表示歉意吗？安慰那些受害者的在天之灵吗？
尊敬的二十四位议员：
我是张英夫，是王质梅的儿子，这次平顶山之行亲眼目睹了相原久美子真诚的泪水，看了议员们的道歉信，很有感触，很受感动！我从小就常听母亲讲平顶山惨案，那时在我的幼小心灵里埋下了仇恨，心里非常憎恨日本人，是他们残杀了我的长辈亲人，我的心里有一种复仇的意念，后来随着年龄的增长，和中国政府的友好教育，这种仇恨似乎淡簿了些，认识到了战争是何等的残酷，平顶山惨案就是那个历史时期，那些日本军国主义分子在中国犯下的罪行，他们侵占了我们的家园，杀害我们的同胞，执行残忍的三光政策，给中华民族带来了巨大的灾难。现在日本政府口口声声的说和中国和平友好，可是为什么他们不敢承认这段历史呢？当局的领导人还有人性吗？
去年我和母亲去东京参加学术研讨会，接触了很多的日本民众，感觉他们是那样的友善，尤其是平顶山惨案声讨团的律师们，为伸张正义辛勤奔波了十余年，他们是那样的真诚，那样的无私，是他们深深地感动了我，作为侵略国的国民为受害国的受害者伸张正义，而且不辞辛苦，这种精神是高尚的，是每个有良知的人的楷模。是他们的付出使我们的心里获许了些安慰。作为幸存者的子女，深深地感谢他们，尊敬的议员们，我在东京期间看到了很多的日本民众和日本媒体都很关心平顶山惨案，看到了他们同情的面容和感人的泪水，觉得日本人民是友善的，觉得和平是幸福的，觉得中日两国人民会友好相处的。
真诚的高呼一声：和平友谊万岁！
尊敬的议员们，让我们联起手来，敦促日本政府早日同意幸存者提出的三项要求而努力！
王 质 梅
张 英 夫
2009年5月10日
尊敬する相原久美子議員、２４人の衆参議員の皆様 はじめに、平頂山事件の生存者として、皆様に心からの感謝を申し上げます。皆様の誠意と無私のご支援に感謝申し上げます。このたび皆様が平頂山を訪れてくださったことに、私は深く感銘いたしました。夜遅く来訪され、朝早く帰国されるという旅の疲れがありましたでしょう。それにもかかわらず、苦労をいとわず私たちのために正義を広め、公正な道理を求めるという皆様の精神は私を深く感動させました。幸存者として皆様に深く深くお礼を申し上げます。 ありがとうございます。
平頂山事件は消し去ることのできない歴史の事実であり、日本軍国主義が中国で犯した人間性を喪失した罪業です。彼らは、まったく武器を持たない一般の人々を虐殺して何らはばかるところがありません。彼らは完璧な死刑執行人です。今、その時のことを思い起こすと胸がどきどきして恐怖が収まりません。胸の内は憎しみと恨みでいっぱいになります。 彼らは私の家族全員を殺しました。この憎しみと恨みは私の胸の奥深いところにあるのです。すでに77年が過ぎました。私は、日本政府に公正な道理を求めます。
亡くなった同胞に対して罪を償うことを求めます。謝罪することを求めます。私に起こったこのような歴史を民族の恨みにしてはなりません。家族の仇を次の世代に引き継いではなりません。最低限度の人間性の表れとして、被害者に対して謝罪すべきではありませんか。被害者たちの霊を慰めるべきではありませんか。
尊敬する２４人の議員の皆様
私は、張英夫と申します。王質梅の息子です。
今回、平頂山に来られた相原久美子議員の真実の涙を目の当たりにし、議員の方々のお詫びの意を表す手紙も読みました。大変感銘を受け感動しました。私は、小さい時から平頂山事件について、いつも母から話を聞いていました。そして、私の幼い心の中に激しい憎しみが深く埋め込まれていきました。日本人を非常に憎みました。彼らは私の家族を殺したのですから。 心の中には復讐の気持がありました。その後、歳をとるにつれて、また、中国政府による友好教育により、恨みは少し薄れていきました。戦争がいかに残酷かということも知りました。日本軍国主義者たちが犯した罪業、私たちの故郷を占領し同胞を殺害した平頂山事件、残忍な三光作戦を行なったこと、中華民族に甚大な被害をもたらしたことを知りました。現在、日本政府は、口では日中友好を何度も言っています。それなのに、なぜ彼らはこの歴史の事実を認める勇気がないのでしょうか。指導者に人間性はあるのでしょうか。
昨年、私と母は、国際シンポジウムに参加するために東京に行きました。 そして、たくさんの日本の方々に会い、友好の気持を感じ取りました。とりわけ平頂山事件の罪状を問いただす弁護団は十数年にわたって正義を広めるために苦労を重ねて来ました。弁護団の方々の誠意や私心のなさに私は深く感動しました。侵略した国の国民として、被害を与えた国の被害者のために正義を広める苦労をいとわないその精神は崇高なものです。良識ある人々が示す模範です。その行為は、私達の心を慰めてくれました。幸存者の子どもとして深く感謝いたします。 尊敬する議員の皆様私は、東京に滞在している間、多くの日本の方々とマスコミが平頂山事件に関心を持ち共感を寄せる様子を見ました。そして、人々の涙に心を打たれました。日本人は友好的です。そして、平和であることは幸せであると思いました。中日両国民は友好的に付き合うことが出来ると思いました。
心を込めて大きな声で言います。
平和友好万歳！
尊敬する議員の皆様、日本政府が、一日も早く、幸存者が提出した三項目の要求に同意するように、連帯して要請して行きましょう！
2009年5月10日王 質 梅張 英 夫
In her reply, Ms. Wang expressed her gratitude to PM Aihara and the twenty-four congress members. She emphasized that Pingdingshan Massacre is a war crime committed by Japanese Imperial Army. The victims and survivors of the massacre deserve an apology from Japanese government. Ms. Wang wishes the tragedy would never be repeated by the next generations and justice will come after seventy-seven years of denial.
Mr. Zhang also appreciates the efforts of the twenty-four congress members. He recalls the hatred and grief he had when he was young. Such a negative feeling towards Japan was relieved a little, thanks to the some Chinese and Japanese people’s efforts for building a friendship between these two countries. He urges the Japanese Government to respond to the cries of the victims. He recalls the efforts of the Japanese lawyers' group who have dedicated themselves to the fight for the victims’ right since ten years ago. Because of the help from the Japanese groups, he has been able to have an optimistic hope that the peace and friendship between these two countries will overcome the difficulties.
http://peacephilosophy.blogspot.com/2009/05/hoc-mp-aihara-apoligize-to-victims-of.html
In response, Ms. Wang Zhimei, the survivor of the massacre, and her son Zhang Yingfu write a reply to the twenty-four members of the Congress. Here are the original texts of their replies, in Chinese, and Japanese translation. A brief English translation is attached.
尊敬的相原久美子女士及二十四位众，参议员：
作为平顶山惨案幸存者，首先向你们表示由衷的谢意，感谢你们真诚和无私的声援。此次平顶山之行对你们的行为深有感触，你们不顾路途疲劳，夜来早归，为了给我们伸张正义，讨还公道你们不辞辛苦，你们的这种精神深深地感动了我，作为幸存者向你们深深地鞠上一躬，谢谢你们！
平顶山惨案是不可抹灭的历史事实，是日本军国主义在中国犯下的灭绝人性的罪行，他们肆无忌惮的屠杀手无寸铁的平民百姓，他们是十足的刽子手，现在想起当时的那一幕，还心有余悸，心里充满了恨，他们杀了我的全家人，这种恨深深地埋在我的心里。七十七年过去了，我要向日本政府讨还公道，要日本政府为我们死难同胞昭雪，向我们死难同胞谢罪。
这段历史是发生在我这一辈人身上，不要让这种民族恨，家族仇延续给下一辈人，作为最起码的人性，不应该向受害者表示歉意吗？安慰那些受害者的在天之灵吗？
尊敬的二十四位议员：
我是张英夫，是王质梅的儿子，这次平顶山之行亲眼目睹了相原久美子真诚的泪水，看了议员们的道歉信，很有感触，很受感动！我从小就常听母亲讲平顶山惨案，那时在我的幼小心灵里埋下了仇恨，心里非常憎恨日本人，是他们残杀了我的长辈亲人，我的心里有一种复仇的意念，后来随着年龄的增长，和中国政府的友好教育，这种仇恨似乎淡簿了些，认识到了战争是何等的残酷，平顶山惨案就是那个历史时期，那些日本军国主义分子在中国犯下的罪行，他们侵占了我们的家园，杀害我们的同胞，执行残忍的三光政策，给中华民族带来了巨大的灾难。现在日本政府口口声声的说和中国和平友好，可是为什么他们不敢承认这段历史呢？当局的领导人还有人性吗？
去年我和母亲去东京参加学术研讨会，接触了很多的日本民众，感觉他们是那样的友善，尤其是平顶山惨案声讨团的律师们，为伸张正义辛勤奔波了十余年，他们是那样的真诚，那样的无私，是他们深深地感动了我，作为侵略国的国民为受害国的受害者伸张正义，而且不辞辛苦，这种精神是高尚的，是每个有良知的人的楷模。是他们的付出使我们的心里获许了些安慰。作为幸存者的子女，深深地感谢他们，尊敬的议员们，我在东京期间看到了很多的日本民众和日本媒体都很关心平顶山惨案，看到了他们同情的面容和感人的泪水，觉得日本人民是友善的，觉得和平是幸福的，觉得中日两国人民会友好相处的。
真诚的高呼一声：和平友谊万岁！
尊敬的议员们，让我们联起手来，敦促日本政府早日同意幸存者提出的三项要求而努力！
王 质 梅
张 英 夫
2009年5月10日
尊敬する相原久美子議員、２４人の衆参議員の皆様 はじめに、平頂山事件の生存者として、皆様に心からの感謝を申し上げます。皆様の誠意と無私のご支援に感謝申し上げます。このたび皆様が平頂山を訪れてくださったことに、私は深く感銘いたしました。夜遅く来訪され、朝早く帰国されるという旅の疲れがありましたでしょう。それにもかかわらず、苦労をいとわず私たちのために正義を広め、公正な道理を求めるという皆様の精神は私を深く感動させました。幸存者として皆様に深く深くお礼を申し上げます。 ありがとうございます。
平頂山事件は消し去ることのできない歴史の事実であり、日本軍国主義が中国で犯した人間性を喪失した罪業です。彼らは、まったく武器を持たない一般の人々を虐殺して何らはばかるところがありません。彼らは完璧な死刑執行人です。今、その時のことを思い起こすと胸がどきどきして恐怖が収まりません。胸の内は憎しみと恨みでいっぱいになります。 彼らは私の家族全員を殺しました。この憎しみと恨みは私の胸の奥深いところにあるのです。すでに77年が過ぎました。私は、日本政府に公正な道理を求めます。
亡くなった同胞に対して罪を償うことを求めます。謝罪することを求めます。私に起こったこのような歴史を民族の恨みにしてはなりません。家族の仇を次の世代に引き継いではなりません。最低限度の人間性の表れとして、被害者に対して謝罪すべきではありませんか。被害者たちの霊を慰めるべきではありませんか。
尊敬する２４人の議員の皆様
私は、張英夫と申します。王質梅の息子です。
今回、平頂山に来られた相原久美子議員の真実の涙を目の当たりにし、議員の方々のお詫びの意を表す手紙も読みました。大変感銘を受け感動しました。私は、小さい時から平頂山事件について、いつも母から話を聞いていました。そして、私の幼い心の中に激しい憎しみが深く埋め込まれていきました。日本人を非常に憎みました。彼らは私の家族を殺したのですから。 心の中には復讐の気持がありました。その後、歳をとるにつれて、また、中国政府による友好教育により、恨みは少し薄れていきました。戦争がいかに残酷かということも知りました。日本軍国主義者たちが犯した罪業、私たちの故郷を占領し同胞を殺害した平頂山事件、残忍な三光作戦を行なったこと、中華民族に甚大な被害をもたらしたことを知りました。現在、日本政府は、口では日中友好を何度も言っています。それなのに、なぜ彼らはこの歴史の事実を認める勇気がないのでしょうか。指導者に人間性はあるのでしょうか。
昨年、私と母は、国際シンポジウムに参加するために東京に行きました。 そして、たくさんの日本の方々に会い、友好の気持を感じ取りました。とりわけ平頂山事件の罪状を問いただす弁護団は十数年にわたって正義を広めるために苦労を重ねて来ました。弁護団の方々の誠意や私心のなさに私は深く感動しました。侵略した国の国民として、被害を与えた国の被害者のために正義を広める苦労をいとわないその精神は崇高なものです。良識ある人々が示す模範です。その行為は、私達の心を慰めてくれました。幸存者の子どもとして深く感謝いたします。 尊敬する議員の皆様私は、東京に滞在している間、多くの日本の方々とマスコミが平頂山事件に関心を持ち共感を寄せる様子を見ました。そして、人々の涙に心を打たれました。日本人は友好的です。そして、平和であることは幸せであると思いました。中日両国民は友好的に付き合うことが出来ると思いました。
心を込めて大きな声で言います。
平和友好万歳！
尊敬する議員の皆様、日本政府が、一日も早く、幸存者が提出した三項目の要求に同意するように、連帯して要請して行きましょう！
2009年5月10日王 質 梅張 英 夫
In her reply, Ms. Wang expressed her gratitude to PM Aihara and the twenty-four congress members. She emphasized that Pingdingshan Massacre is a war crime committed by Japanese Imperial Army. The victims and survivors of the massacre deserve an apology from Japanese government. Ms. Wang wishes the tragedy would never be repeated by the next generations and justice will come after seventy-seven years of denial.
Mr. Zhang also appreciates the efforts of the twenty-four congress members. He recalls the hatred and grief he had when he was young. Such a negative feeling towards Japan was relieved a little, thanks to the some Chinese and Japanese people’s efforts for building a friendship between these two countries. He urges the Japanese Government to respond to the cries of the victims. He recalls the efforts of the Japanese lawyers' group who have dedicated themselves to the fight for the victims’ right since ten years ago. Because of the help from the Japanese groups, he has been able to have an optimistic hope that the peace and friendship between these two countries will overcome the difficulties.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Toronto Event
On the evening of Friday, May 15, 2009, the Toronto Article 9 Event Committee hosted an event "Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution:Bringing Peace to Today's World" at OISE Ontario Institute for Studies in Education), the University of Toronto.
The event was attended by more than 80 people, far more than we had expected. The participants were as diverse as the community of Toronto,including the students and faculties of the University of Toronto, local peace activists and journalists, and a few participants from out of
town,including one person who travelled from New York just to attend this event. The evening started with author Joy Kogawa's compelling speech about her past in which she was discriminated as an enemy alien during the WWII because of her Japanese heritage, and that Article 9 is the one thing that she can be proud of and "what is best in today’s Japan." Then we screened the film "Japan's Peace Constitution," directed by John Junkerman. This is the film that Vancouver Save Article 9 used many times to promote the knowledge about and awareness for Article 9 and its global significance between 2005 and 2006, resulting in the large increases in the membership.
After the film, I presented the current conditions surrounding Article 9on the political and popular fronts. I stated the fact that the most polls indicate that the majority of Japanese people want to keep the current Article 9, despite the ongoing government's attempts to change it and establish facts that undermine it. May 15 was also the anniversary of Okinawa's reversion from the U.S. to Japan back in 1972. Yusuke Tanaka, a journalist and a storyteller, told a story with his music, about that time he was involved with students' peace movement.
Historian Peter Kuznick talked about some of the U.S. past leaders and their involvement with decisions to develop, use and expand their nuclear arsenals, and commended hibakusha, or atomic-bomb survivors' for their contributions to the world efforts to reduce and elimin
ate the destructive weapons that could lead to human annihilation. Setsuko Thurlow concluded the event with her many insights ranging from her experience of atomic-bombing in Hiroshima to her ongoing dedication to peace movements and the importance of keeping and realizing Article 9.
ate the destructive weapons that could lead to human annihilation. Setsuko Thurlow concluded the event with her many insights ranging from her experience of atomic-bombing in Hiroshima to her ongoing dedication to peace movements and the importance of keeping and realizing Article 9. Overall the event was well-received with comments from the participants like, "The film brings rich commentary from around the world and wonderful historical snippets and analysis," "Each speaker brought a different character to
their presentation," and "It was truly inspiring. I want to get involved with the Article 9 movement, as we should educate more people about the importance of the issue." One regret about the evening was that there was not enough time for Q & A and to hear thoughts and comments from the audience.The event was co-sponsored by the Department of Sociology and Equity Studies in Education/OISE, and supported by Vancouver Save Article 9,and Peace Philosophy Centre. Many thanks to the committee members and volunteers for their help, especially Tomoe Otsuki, who made it possible for this event to take place at OISE/University of Toronto.
With appreciation,
Satoko Norimatsu
Monday, May 25, 2009
Comment on the flim "Frontline for Peace- Traveling for Gratitude"
誰もが、自分の、そして大切な人たちの、心の平和を願っている。Everyone is hoping for one's own peace of mind, and also for that of his/her beloved ones.
お腹が空けば食べるものを買えるお金があること
That when I'm hungry, I have money to buy something to eat
ノドが乾けばいつでも奇麗な水が飲めること
That whenever I'm thirsty, I have access to clean water to drink
安心して眠れる場所があること
That I have a place to sleep without any fear
興味のある勉強が思う存分できていること、、、、
That I can study what I am interested in, as much as I could....
そんな私の日常は当たり前ではないということは、頭では分っている。
I think I am well aware of that such a "daily life", which I often take it for granted, is not something "normal" or "ordinary".
それは、日本にも、バンクーバーにも、ホームレスと呼ばれる人たちがいて、特にバンクーバーに住むようになってからは、「貧困」というものが私が日本で暮らしていたときよりも、もっと身近に感じられるようになったから。
Japan, where I'm from, also have people called "homeless", but I have come to feel "poverty" as something much closer to me especially after living in Vancouver for a while.
子供の頃の私は「ホームレスになる人は、怠け者なんだ」という見方しかできていなかった。「私はこうならないようにしなくちゃ。私はこの人たちとは違う」なんてことを思っていた。 しかし、ホームレス問題には色んな社会的背景があるということに気がついたとき、ホームレスの人たちや物乞い／お金を乞う人たちの姿を観ると、同情するようになった。
When I was a child, and when I was living in Japan, I simply took homeless people as being "lazy".
"I should try not to be like them. I am different from them"- I even had this kind of thoughts.
However, when I realized that there are various kinds of social aspects perpetuating the issue of homelessness, I began to feel compassion toward the poor who are begging for money and food on the street.
でも、、、、私に何ができるんだろう？
But....what can I do about it?
「仕方ない」で済ませていい問題ではない。
じゃあ、どうすればいい？
私たちに何ができる？
I know, it's not something to be settled by saying "that's the way it is".
But then, what can be done?
What can WE do?
映画「ありがとうの物語」で紹介されている、フィリピンの女の子（Mary-Jane）は 貧困のため、父は出稼ぎに行ったまま帰ってこない、母は兄とメリージェーンを残して故郷に帰ってしまって消息不明。病気のおばあさんと、お兄さんと３人で協力して生活していた。
The film, "Frontline for Peace- Traveling for Gratitude", introduces a girl, Mary-Jane, living in the Philippines. Because of the poverty, Mary-Jane has been separated from her parents. Her father left the country to find work somewhere in other countries, and he never returned. Her mother went back to her hometown without her children - Mary-Jane and her older brother.
Mary-Jane lived with her brother and grandmother who had been ill.
働いて働いて、、、それでもその日その日を生き抜くので精一杯。
Mary-Jane and her brother worked so hard, every single day.
but still, just to survive each day is all what they can do.
「どんなに働いても、貧しさから解放される日は来ない」
"No matter how hard they work, they can never be able to be set free from poorness"
一生懸命に生きている彼女の前にある現実が、これでいいわけがない。
It should not be the reality, the only one possible reality, for her who is living her life by putting her all into every day, every moment.
‥‥私たちに何ができるだろう？
.....then, what can we do?
私は、 「何ができるんだろうか？」と考え始めると 大きな壁が目の前にあって、身動きがとれない感覚になってしまうときがある。
Whenever I face this question, "what I can do?", I often feel like being pinned down.
I feel like I can't move at all - total powerless.
でも、メリージェーンや、映画の中にでてきた他の子供達は、みんな笑顔が輝いていた。命を輝かせていた。But..., all the children I saw in the film had very bright smiles.
辛い気持ち、悲しい気持ちも、きっと抱えているだろうに。
they must have feelings of pain, bitterness, and sadness inside their hearts, but they are brightening their life.
映画の中で、桑山さんが何度が使っていた言葉。
The word Dr. Kuwayama uses several times in the film...
「命を輝かせる」
"Brightening a life"
なんて素敵な言葉だろう、と思った。
What a beautiful word.....I felt.
生きている場所•状況はそれぞれ違っても、ひとつひとつの命がかけがえのない大切なもだとしたら、それぞれの命に物語があるとしたら、、、
If each life is really precious and special.....
if each life has different stories....
この映画で観た、懸命に生き、命を輝かせている子供達のように
それぞれの命が「ありがとうの物語」になるように 命を輝かせていくことの大切さを感じながら生きていく。。。
Just like the children shown in the film, who actually are brightening their lives....
one of the things we can do and what we must do is.....
それが私に、私たちに、できることの大切なひとつなんじゃないかと思った。
To brighten each of our lives - Wherever we are....whatever situation we are in .
どんな場所で生きていても、誰もがそれぞれ何かしら苦しみや問題を抱えて生きている。 どんな社会も、必ず問題を抱えている。
Each one of us live with different concerns, problems, hardships, saddness......wherever we live . There is no society without problems and issues.
でも、どんな状況でも、自分次第で、自分のあり方次第で
自分の中に、そして誰か他の人の中に、「ありがとう」を生むことはできると信じて。
But....
We must believe that every life will be different one- better or worse-, depending on how we live.
It's all depending on how each of us live if we can make our life grateful one....
Love the life you live,
Love the people you live with,
Love the world you are in....
Shoko
Saturday, May 23, 2009
2009 Events
Here are 2009 events related to topics of interest - peace, sustainability, and education. These are events that I (Satoko) either organize, co-organize, participate, or am involved with in some capacity, either as an individual or representing Peace Philosophy Centre and/or Vancouver Save Article 9. Details of these events are subject to change. The upcoming event is at the top of the list, and the past events are at the bottom. Please email info@peacephilosophy.com for more information. Upcoming Events of 2009:
* "Peace Philosophy Salon" is held mostly on Saturday evenings at Peace Philosophy Centre in Vancouver, BC, Canada. It is an informal gathering in which we learn and discuss current issues of interest. Sometimes we watch documentary films together and other times we have guest speakers. We have basic structure of each event, but content and process are organic and flexible, depending on the needs and interests of participants. Satoko acts as a facilitator of dialogue and discussion. It is a space for mutual learning and empowerment.
Hiroshima/Nagasaki Peace Study Tour
July 31 - August 11, 2009
"Peace Philosophy Salons" will restart in the fall term of 2009.
Past Events of 2009:
White Rock Event: "Quilting For Peace"
Date and Time : Saturday, February 14, 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Location: White Rock (email whiterock@peacephilosophy.com for details)
Organized by: White Rock Group, Peace Philosophy Centre
Peace Philosophy Salon: the Constitution of Japan
Date and Time: Saturday, February 21, 7:30 PM -
Location: Peace Philosophy Centre (email info@peacephilosophy.com for details), Vancouver, BC, Canada
Organized by: Peace Philosophy Centre
Peace Philosophy Salon: Senji Yamamoto
Date and Time: Saturday, February 28, 7:00PM -
Location: Peace Philosophy Centre (email info@peacephilosophy.com for details), Vancouver, BC, Canada
Organized by: Peace Philosophy Centre
Peace Philosophy Salon: Hiroshima and Nagasaki - Journey of the Heart
Date and Time: Saturday, March 14, 7:00 PM - Location: Peace Philosophy Centre (email info@peacephilosophy.com for details), Vancouver, BC, Canada
Organized by: Peace Philosophy Centre
Vancouver Save Article 9 Event - Sharing Wartime Experience
Date and Time: 1:00 - 4:00 PM, Saturday, March 21
Location: Vancouver Japanese Language School
Organized by: Vancouver Save Article 9
Towards peace in Northeast Asia: Japanese people's initiatives
Satoko Norimatsu, a Vancouver-based community peace educator will introduce citizens' initiatives inside and outside of Japan to promote peace in Northeast Asia. The topics will include Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, Hiroshima/Nagasaki, peace museum movements, and various organizations that advocate for victims of Japanese aggression in Asia including Nanjing Massacre and military sex slavery, and their efforts to raise awareness within the Japanese society.
Date and time: 10:30 - 12:30, Thursday March 26
Location: Langara College, Vancouver
Peace Philosophy Salon: Nanjing Massacre
Date and Time: Saturday, March 28, 7:00 PM -
Location: Peace Philosophy Centre (email info@peacephilosophy.com for details)
Organized by: Peace Philosophy Centre
White Rock Event: The Power of Forgiveness
Date and Time: Saturday, April 4, 1:30 PM -
Place: White Rock (email whiterock@peacephilosophy.com for details)
Organized by: White Rock Group, Peace Philosophy Centre
Peace Philosophy Salon: Spring Wrap-up and Social
Date and Time: Saturday, April 11, 6:00 PM-
Location: Peace Philosophy Centre (email info@peacephilosophy.com for details)
Organized by: Peace Philosophy Centre
A Vancouver Save Article 9 Event to celebrate the 62nd birthday of Japan's Constitution
Date and Time: 1:30 - 4:30 PM, Saturday May 2
Locaion: Vancouver Japanese Language School
Organized by: Vancouver Save Article 9
A Special Article 9 Event in Toronto
Date and Time: 6:30 - 9:30, May 15, 2009
Location: University of Toronto
Organized by: Tornoto Article 9 Event Committee
Supported by: Vancouver Save Article 9, Peace Philosophy Centre
Contact event@peacephilosophy.com for details.
Special Film Event: Chikyu No Stage – Arigato no Monogatari (Frontline for Peace – Traveling for Gratitude)
Date and Time: 1-3 PM, May 24, 2009
Location: Nikkei Heritage Centre Organized by: Vancouver Frontline for Peace
* Peace Philosophy Centre is a supporting organization.
Japan - Global Issues Tour (Webster University)
June 1 - 10, 2009
*Satoko acted as co-instructor and translator.
Vancouver Save Article 9 Family Event
June 7, 2009
Hiroshima/Nagasaki Tour Orientation Meeting
1 PM - 4 PM, Sunday July 5
at Peace Philosophy Centre
* "Peace Philosophy Salon" is held mostly on Saturday evenings at Peace Philosophy Centre in Vancouver, BC, Canada. It is an informal gathering in which we learn and discuss current issues of interest. Sometimes we watch documentary films together and other times we have guest speakers. We have basic structure of each event, but content and process are organic and flexible, depending on the needs and interests of participants. Satoko acts as a facilitator of dialogue and discussion. It is a space for mutual learning and empowerment.
Hiroshima/Nagasaki Peace Study Tour
July 31 - August 11, 2009
"Peace Philosophy Salons" will restart in the fall term of 2009.
Past Events of 2009:
White Rock Event: "Quilting For Peace"
Date and Time : Saturday, February 14, 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Location: White Rock (email whiterock@peacephilosophy.com for details)
Organized by: White Rock Group, Peace Philosophy Centre
Peace Philosophy Salon: the Constitution of Japan
Date and Time: Saturday, February 21, 7:30 PM -
Location: Peace Philosophy Centre (email info@peacephilosophy.com for details), Vancouver, BC, Canada
Organized by: Peace Philosophy Centre
Peace Philosophy Salon: Senji Yamamoto
Date and Time: Saturday, February 28, 7:00PM -
Location: Peace Philosophy Centre (email info@peacephilosophy.com for details), Vancouver, BC, Canada
Organized by: Peace Philosophy Centre
Peace Philosophy Salon: Hiroshima and Nagasaki - Journey of the Heart
Date and Time: Saturday, March 14, 7:00 PM - Location: Peace Philosophy Centre (email info@peacephilosophy.com for details), Vancouver, BC, Canada
Organized by: Peace Philosophy Centre
Vancouver Save Article 9 Event - Sharing Wartime Experience
Date and Time: 1:00 - 4:00 PM, Saturday, March 21
Location: Vancouver Japanese Language School
Organized by: Vancouver Save Article 9
Towards peace in Northeast Asia: Japanese people's initiatives
Satoko Norimatsu, a Vancouver-based community peace educator will introduce citizens' initiatives inside and outside of Japan to promote peace in Northeast Asia. The topics will include Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, Hiroshima/Nagasaki, peace museum movements, and various organizations that advocate for victims of Japanese aggression in Asia including Nanjing Massacre and military sex slavery, and their efforts to raise awareness within the Japanese society.
Date and time: 10:30 - 12:30, Thursday March 26
Location: Langara College, Vancouver
Peace Philosophy Salon: Nanjing Massacre
Date and Time: Saturday, March 28, 7:00 PM -
Location: Peace Philosophy Centre (email info@peacephilosophy.com for details)
Organized by: Peace Philosophy Centre
White Rock Event: The Power of Forgiveness
Date and Time: Saturday, April 4, 1:30 PM -
Place: White Rock (email whiterock@peacephilosophy.com for details)
Organized by: White Rock Group, Peace Philosophy Centre
Peace Philosophy Salon: Spring Wrap-up and Social
Date and Time: Saturday, April 11, 6:00 PM-
Location: Peace Philosophy Centre (email info@peacephilosophy.com for details)
Organized by: Peace Philosophy Centre
A Vancouver Save Article 9 Event to celebrate the 62nd birthday of Japan's Constitution
Date and Time: 1:30 - 4:30 PM, Saturday May 2
Locaion: Vancouver Japanese Language School
Organized by: Vancouver Save Article 9
A Special Article 9 Event in Toronto
Date and Time: 6:30 - 9:30, May 15, 2009
Location: University of Toronto
Organized by: Tornoto Article 9 Event Committee
Supported by: Vancouver Save Article 9, Peace Philosophy Centre
Contact event@peacephilosophy.com for details.
Special Film Event: Chikyu No Stage – Arigato no Monogatari (Frontline for Peace – Traveling for Gratitude)
Date and Time: 1-3 PM, May 24, 2009
Location: Nikkei Heritage Centre Organized by: Vancouver Frontline for Peace
* Peace Philosophy Centre is a supporting organization.
Japan - Global Issues Tour (Webster University)
June 1 - 10, 2009
*Satoko acted as co-instructor and translator.
Vancouver Save Article 9 Family Event
June 7, 2009
Hiroshima/Nagasaki Tour Orientation Meeting
1 PM - 4 PM, Sunday July 5
at Peace Philosophy Centre
Saturday, May 09, 2009
An Article 9 Event in Toronto
A Special Event at the University of Toronto:
"Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution:
Bringing Peace into Today's World"
Date and Time: 6:30 - 9:30 PM, May 15, 2009
Location: Room OI 2212
OISE (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto)
252 Bloor Street West (St. George Subway)
Event Programme:
- Screening of "Japan's Peace Constitution" (John Junkerman, Dir.; 2005. 78 min.) Followed by
- Short presentations, discussion and Q&A's with;
- Joy Kogawa, Author and recipient of Order of Canada
- Setsuko Thurlow, Hiroshima survivor, social worker and recipient of Order of Canada
- Peter Kuznick, Professor of History, American University
- Satoko Norimatsu, Director of Peace Philosophy Centre
- David McIntosh, Founding member of Vancouver Save Article 9
- Songs for Peace and Storytelling "May 15, 1972" Yusuke Tanaka, Writer
RSVP before May 12 by email to event@peacephilosophy.com with your name and number of people attending.
Admission free (Donations toward expenses appreciated)
Light refreshments will be served.
Organized by: Toronto Article 9 Event Committee(Koko Kikuchi, David McIntosh, Satoko Norimatsu, Tomoe Otsuki,and Yusuke Tanaka)
Co-sponsored by: Department of Sociology and Equity Studies in Education/OISE
Supporting organizations:
Vancouver Save Article 9
Peace Philosophy Centre
More about this Event:
May 2009 marks the 62nd anniversary of the enforcement of the Constitution of Japan, which includes the war-renouncing clause, Article9. It reads:"Aspiring sincerely to an international peace and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes. In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized."
Japan's current constitution was adopted after war in Asia and the Pacific came to an end in August, 1945, after taking the lives of over20 million people. While Article 9 stands as a symbolic expression of Japan's remorse for its aggressive past, particularly against the neighbouring peoples of Asia, it has also effectively prevented Japan from resorting to violence in international disputes for the last 62years. There has been, however, constant pressure from successive conservative-led governments to revise Article 9 and diminish its substance by enacting laws that would allow dispatch of the SDF (Self Defense Force) to other countries. In the mean time, a nationwide citizens' movement has arisen to protect the soul of the Constitution,Article 9. Today there are more than 7,000 "Save Article 9"organizations across Japan and several outside of Japan. One of these,Vancouver Save Article 9 was founded in 2005 and now has 200 members strong.
In this event, the first of such nature in Toronto, we will watch John Junkerman's acclaimed documentary film, "Japan's Peace Constitution," in which the international significance of Article 9 is discussed by scholars, activists and citizens around the world, including U.S. media critic Noam Chomsky and Chinese filmmaker Ban Zhongyi. After the film,author Joy Kogawa and Hiroshima survivor Setsuko Thurlow will share her insights about war, peace and Article 9. Dr. Peter Kuznick will talk about his work of helping Americans face their past crimes, particularly the use of atomic-bombs against Japan,and the implication of Article 9 for a nuclear-free world, with reference to the recent commitment by President Obama to pursue serious initiatives toward reducing and eventually eliminating all nuclear weapons in the world. Satoko Norimatsu and David McIntosh will moderate the event and also talk about some of the activities and experiences of the pro-Article 9 movement in Vancouver.
The event date, May 15, happens to be the 37th anniversary of Okinawa's reversion to Japan, so we will also discuss the meaning of Article 9 as it relates to Okinawa. Okinawa was one of the deadliest battlefields in the Pacific War and, after the war, became home to 75%of the U.S. military facilities in Japan. Yusuke Tanaka will dedicate songs for peace and tell a story, "May 15, 1972," to commemorate this milestone. We look forward to seeing you at the event.
Please feel free to forward this announcement to your network of friends and colleagues. It is our sincere hope that this event will contribute one small stride to our common walk toward peace.
Toronto Article 9 Event Committee
contact: event@peacephilosophy.com
Profiles of Speakers/Moderators/Performers
Joy Kogawa
Joy Kogawa, born in Vancouver B.C., in 1935, is a writer living in Toronto. She is best known for her novel "Obasan." Her most recent book is a children's story, "Naomi's Tree." Her present work-in-progress is entitled, "Gently to Nagasaki." She is a Member of the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia and has been awarded seven honorary doctorates and numerous prizes for her writing.
Peter Kuznick
The author of Beyond the Laboratory: Scientists as Political Activists in 1930s America and coeditor of Rethinking Cold War Culture, Peter Kuznick is currently writing a book exploring how the belief that nuclear war could end all life on the planet has shaped the behavior and views of military strategists, policymakers, writers and filmmakers, and the public. He is also writing a 10-part documentary film series with Oliver Stone. As director of American University’s award winning Nuclear Studies Institute, he takes students on an annual study abroad trip to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He spearheaded the Committee for a National Discussion of Nuclear History and Current Policy in response to the Smithsonian’s latest Enola Gay exhibit and co-founded the Nuclear Education Project. He writes often and lectures frequently about nuclear issues in general and the atomic bombings in particular. He regularly provides commentary to the media on a broad range of subjects and was selected Organization of American Historians Distinguished Lecturer 2004-2007 and 2007-2010.
Setsuko Thurlow
Born in Hiroshima, Setsuko graduated from Hiroshima Jogakuin in 1954. She received further education in Social Work in Virginia, USA and at the University of Toronto. She married a Canadian and became a permanent resident of Toronto in 1962. She worked until retirement as a social worker in educational, clinical and women's organizations. She was the founder of Japanese Family Services (now Japanese Social Services) and did extensive community organization work in East Asian communities in Toronto. In 1974 she established a group called Hiroshima-Nagasaki Relived dedicated to public education regarding the threat of nuclear war, and this led to an extensive anti-nuclear weapon campaign world-wide. She was the recipient of membership in the Order of Canada in 2007.
Yusuke Tanaka
Born in Sapporo, Japan in 1951, Yusuke Tanaka moved to Tokyo and studied sociology at Waseda University. He immigrated to Canada in 1986 and he has been the Japanese editor of Toronto-based Nikkei Voice newspaper since 1989. He has been leading Katari Japanese Storytellers since 1994, writing and telling his own stories and folklore both in English and Japanese.
Satoko Norimatsu
Satoko Norimatsu is Director of Peace Philosophy Centre, a Vancouver-based organization that promotes education for peace and sustainability. She is also a founding member of Vancouver Save Article 9, and an instructor at UBC Centre for Intercultural Communication. Satoko speaks at conferences and organizes peace events, including “Peace Philosophy Salon,” in which she brings young people together to learn from history and create a peaceful future. Satoko can be contacted at info@peacephilosophy.com , and more information about her activities can be found at http://www.peacephilosophy.com/.
David McIntosh
David McIntosh was born 1960 in Toronto and raised in Osaka, Japan as son of missionaries among Koreans in Japan. A lazy student at school, David learned much of his history through stories of Koreans who were displace from their homeland, forced to labour for their imperial conquerors, then discriminated in many ways after their “emancipation” in 1945. David has been active in a variety of community groups advocating for historical honesty, justice and peace. He is a founding member of Vancouver Save Article 9 and Vancouver 9/11 Truth Society and currently works as a professional interpreter and translator.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
HoC MP Aihara apoligizes to the victims of PingDing Shan Massacare 日本上院议员相原久美子向平顶山惨案受害者致歉 相原久美子議員ら民主議員２４人平頂山虐殺事件の生存者に謝罪
5月5日，日本国会上院议员相原久美子访问了位于中国抚顺的平顶山惨案纪念馆。相原议员向惨案幸存者转交了由24名国会议员签名的道歉信，并向受害者和幸存者表示了真切的歉意。幸存者之一的王质梅女士也来到抚顺与相原议员见面，并向日本议员的支持与努力表示感谢。以下是日本国会议员的道歉信全文及简短翻译：
May 5th, Aihara Kumiko, a Democratic Party MP of the Upper House visited the PingDing Shan Massacre museum in FuShun, China. MP Aihara Kumiko brings a letter, which is signed by 24 Diet MPs, to the victims of the Massacre. In this letter, MPs sincerely apologized to the victims and the survivors of the massacre. They also promised to support the claims of the survivors and to promote a good relationship between China and Japan. Wang Zhimei, a survivor of the massacre also came to Fushun to meet MP Aihara. Ms. Wang expressed her thanks to the MPs.
The following are the full text of the letter, the name lists of the 24 MPs signed on the letter, and a brief English translation.
５月５日、民主党の参議院議員の相原久美子氏が中国・撫順の平頂山虐殺記念館を訪ねた。相原氏は、２４人の国会議員が署名した手紙を持参した。この手紙で、議員たちは虐殺事件の被害者に心からのお詫びをし、生存者の支援を約束し、友好な日中関係に向けて努力することを伝えた。生存者の王質梅さんも相原議員に会いに撫順に来た。以下はその手紙の全文と、英語による要約である。
手紙に署名した議員は以下である。
日本国衆議院議員
逢坂誠二、郡和子、近藤昭一、佐々木隆博、篠原孝、田島一成、筒 井信隆、平岡秀夫、山田正彦、横光克彦
日本国参議院議員
相原久美子、犬塚直史、岡崎トミ子、神本美恵子、今野東、谷岡郁 子、中村哲治、那谷屋正義、白真勲、藤谷光信、松浦大悟、松岡 徹、松野信夫、水岡俊一
Link: Chinese XinHua News reports Mp Aihara's visit (In Chinese) （中国語の報道）
平顶山事件的幸存者们：
我们是日本民主党的国会议员。
参与平顶山事件裁判的日本律师们，向我们介绍了平顶山事件的经过，以及幸存者们对日本政府的要求，我们觉得必须去现场看一看，并直接聆听您们的声音，向您们表达我们道歉的心情。只是现在正值日本国会的会议期间，我们不能一同前往，首先以信的形式向您们表达我们的心情，由相原久美子参议院议员代表我们将此信呈交给您们。
1932年9月在平顶山地区，当时的日本军队屠杀了大量平顶山村毫无抵抗力的无辜百姓。做为一个人，做为一名被日本国民选举出来的国会议员，我们发自内心表示歉意。至今日本政府也没有对幸存者以及幸存者遗属表示正式谢罪，造成了幸存者和幸存者遗属七十六年来没能有过昭雪的心情，对此我们深表歉意。
为了建立真正稳定的日中关系，解决战后遗留问题是不可缺少的环节。平顶山事件是十五年战争的初期阶段，日本军队大规模屠杀平民百姓的事件，我们认为解决好这一问题，与解决日中之间的其它战后遗留问题是密切相关的。
因此我们在此表明，赞同幸存者们对日本政府提出的三项要求，我们向您们保证，我们要为实现您们的要求而努力，今年我们将走访平顶山直接与您们对话。
请您们保重身体。
２００９年５月５日
日本国众议院议员 (MPs of House of Representative)
逢坂城二、郡和子、近藤昭一、佐佐木隆博、篠原孝、田岛一成、简井信隆、平冈秀夫、山田正彦、横光克彦
日本国参议院议员 (Mps of House of Council)
相原久美子、犬塚直史、冈崎吒咪子、神本美惠子、今野东、谷冈郁子、中村哲治、那谷屋正义、 白真勋、藤谷光信、松浦大悟、松冈彻、松野信夫、水冈俊
Translation:
To the survivors of the PingDing Shan Massacre:
We are the Mps From Democratic Party of Japan. The Japanese lawyers, who participated in the cases of Ping Ding Shan Massacre, introduced what happened in this accident and your inquiries to us. We feel we are obligated to go to PingDing Shan to have a visit and listen to your voice, and to delivery our apologies; However, now it's the meeting session time for the Japanese Diet, so we cannot come altogether. We would first send our apologies by this letter, which will be presented to you by our delegate----MP Aihara Kumiko.
In September 1932, around the region of PinDing Shan, Japanese Imperial Army killed a mass number of innocent civilians. As human beings and Mps elected by Japanese civilians, we feel a deep sorrow from our heart. Japanese Government hasn’t apologized to the survivors and victims. This caused a pain among the survivors and the relatives of victims. We sincerely apologize for this.
To establish a truly stable China-Japan relation, we have to solve the war-related problems. We think the Ping Ding Shan accident must be properly solved, and this is an important part of all the war-related problems.
Thus we claim here: we agree with the three inquiries you have made to the Japanese government. We promise that we will fight for this goal. We will visit PingDing Shan and talk with you.
Please take care.
*****************************************
日本語による報道は
平頂山事件 民主議員「日本政府に公式謝罪求める」
http://www.asahi.com/politics/update/0507/TKY200905070073.html
Reporting in English: 英語による報道は
Japanese MPs apologize for massacre in northeast China 77 years ago http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/05/content_11319591.htm
平頂山事件についてもっと知りたい人に以下の記事を勧めます。
◆「東大・弥生講堂で『平頂山事件』シンポジウム開催」http://www.news.janjan.jp/world/0809/0809147191/1.php
May 5th, Aihara Kumiko, a Democratic Party MP of the Upper House visited the PingDing Shan Massacre museum in FuShun, China. MP Aihara Kumiko brings a letter, which is signed by 24 Diet MPs, to the victims of the Massacre. In this letter, MPs sincerely apologized to the victims and the survivors of the massacre. They also promised to support the claims of the survivors and to promote a good relationship between China and Japan. Wang Zhimei, a survivor of the massacre also came to Fushun to meet MP Aihara. Ms. Wang expressed her thanks to the MPs.
The following are the full text of the letter, the name lists of the 24 MPs signed on the letter, and a brief English translation.
５月５日、民主党の参議院議員の相原久美子氏が中国・撫順の平頂山虐殺記念館を訪ねた。相原氏は、２４人の国会議員が署名した手紙を持参した。この手紙で、議員たちは虐殺事件の被害者に心からのお詫びをし、生存者の支援を約束し、友好な日中関係に向けて努力することを伝えた。生存者の王質梅さんも相原議員に会いに撫順に来た。以下はその手紙の全文と、英語による要約である。
手紙に署名した議員は以下である。
日本国衆議院議員
逢坂誠二、郡和子、近藤昭一、佐々木隆博、篠原孝、田島一成、筒 井信隆、平岡秀夫、山田正彦、横光克彦
日本国参議院議員
相原久美子、犬塚直史、岡崎トミ子、神本美恵子、今野東、谷岡郁 子、中村哲治、那谷屋正義、白真勲、藤谷光信、松浦大悟、松岡 徹、松野信夫、水岡俊一
Link: Chinese XinHua News reports Mp Aihara's visit (In Chinese) （中国語の報道）
平顶山事件的幸存者们：
我们是日本民主党的国会议员。
参与平顶山事件裁判的日本律师们，向我们介绍了平顶山事件的经过，以及幸存者们对日本政府的要求，我们觉得必须去现场看一看，并直接聆听您们的声音，向您们表达我们道歉的心情。只是现在正值日本国会的会议期间，我们不能一同前往，首先以信的形式向您们表达我们的心情，由相原久美子参议院议员代表我们将此信呈交给您们。
1932年9月在平顶山地区，当时的日本军队屠杀了大量平顶山村毫无抵抗力的无辜百姓。做为一个人，做为一名被日本国民选举出来的国会议员，我们发自内心表示歉意。至今日本政府也没有对幸存者以及幸存者遗属表示正式谢罪，造成了幸存者和幸存者遗属七十六年来没能有过昭雪的心情，对此我们深表歉意。
为了建立真正稳定的日中关系，解决战后遗留问题是不可缺少的环节。平顶山事件是十五年战争的初期阶段，日本军队大规模屠杀平民百姓的事件，我们认为解决好这一问题，与解决日中之间的其它战后遗留问题是密切相关的。
因此我们在此表明，赞同幸存者们对日本政府提出的三项要求，我们向您们保证，我们要为实现您们的要求而努力，今年我们将走访平顶山直接与您们对话。
请您们保重身体。
２００９年５月５日
日本国众议院议员 (MPs of House of Representative)
逢坂城二、郡和子、近藤昭一、佐佐木隆博、篠原孝、田岛一成、简井信隆、平冈秀夫、山田正彦、横光克彦
日本国参议院议员 (Mps of House of Council)
相原久美子、犬塚直史、冈崎吒咪子、神本美惠子、今野东、谷冈郁子、中村哲治、那谷屋正义、 白真勋、藤谷光信、松浦大悟、松冈彻、松野信夫、水冈俊
Translation:
To the survivors of the PingDing Shan Massacre:
We are the Mps From Democratic Party of Japan. The Japanese lawyers, who participated in the cases of Ping Ding Shan Massacre, introduced what happened in this accident and your inquiries to us. We feel we are obligated to go to PingDing Shan to have a visit and listen to your voice, and to delivery our apologies; However, now it's the meeting session time for the Japanese Diet, so we cannot come altogether. We would first send our apologies by this letter, which will be presented to you by our delegate----MP Aihara Kumiko.
In September 1932, around the region of PinDing Shan, Japanese Imperial Army killed a mass number of innocent civilians. As human beings and Mps elected by Japanese civilians, we feel a deep sorrow from our heart. Japanese Government hasn’t apologized to the survivors and victims. This caused a pain among the survivors and the relatives of victims. We sincerely apologize for this.
To establish a truly stable China-Japan relation, we have to solve the war-related problems. We think the Ping Ding Shan accident must be properly solved, and this is an important part of all the war-related problems.
Thus we claim here: we agree with the three inquiries you have made to the Japanese government. We promise that we will fight for this goal. We will visit PingDing Shan and talk with you.
Please take care.
*****************************************
日本語による報道は
平頂山事件 民主議員「日本政府に公式謝罪求める」
http://www.asahi.com/politics/update/0507/TKY200905070073.html
Reporting in English: 英語による報道は
Japanese MPs apologize for massacre in northeast China 77 years ago http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/05/content_11319591.htm
平頂山事件についてもっと知りたい人に以下の記事を勧めます。
◆「東大・弥生講堂で『平頂山事件』シンポジウム開催」http://www.news.janjan.jp/world/0809/0809147191/1.php
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Invitation to Canadian Students to Join Hiroshima/Nagasaki Tour 2009
* We have now closed applications for the 2009 program. For 2010 program, please contact info@peacephilosophy.com
Hiroshima/Nagasaki Peace Exchange Tour
July 31 – August 10, 2009
A Special Invitation to Canadian Students
Professor Atsushi Fujioka of Ritsumeikan University is pleased to extend a special invitation to up to three Canadian students (students enrolled in a full-time program at a Canadian university or college) to participate in The Peace Exchange Tour. The Tour has been run successfully for the past 15 years, bringing together Japanese and North American students to learn from the history of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Professor Fujioka offers a scholarship of 30,000 yen (approx. $300) to up to three Canadian students.
Program Themes: Canadian participants visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki, join students from Japan and the U.S., and work together to:
- gain first-hand knowledge of the human, historical, and environmental impact of the atomic bombings;
- learn about past and current international initiatives undertaken to eliminate nuclear weapons;
- build close ties with one another to work collaboratively for a peaceful future.
Dates: July 31 (Fri.) – August 10 (Mon.), 2009
Destinations: Kyoto – Hiroshima – Nagasaki
Accompanying Faculty and Staff:
Professor Atsushi Fujioka, Ritsumeikan University, Department of Economics
Professor Peter Kuznick, American University, Nuclear Studies Institute
Koko Kondo, Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor, and graduate of American University
Satoko Norimatsu, Director of Peace Philosophy Centre and instructor at UBC Centre for Intercultural Communication
Program Description:
The world was shaken by the attack on World Trade Centers in New York, and by the U.S.-led war against Iraq. Tensions remain high in the Middle East and on the Korean Peninsula around the issue of nuclear development, and global military competition has expanded into Space. How can we straighten the tangled strings of hate and revenge, and find a way out from the vicious circle of violence and war?
Nobody can give an easy answer. Hiroshima and Nagasaki can, however, provide fertile starting points for thinking about these issues and can give us courage and wisdom for dealing with the challenges they pose. The objective of this program is to place ourselves squarely in these world-historically important places, commemorate the 64th anniversary of the atomic bombings, and join with students from around the world to explore what means we have to seek reconciliation among foes, the creation of peace, and the survival of humankind.
The debate over the A-bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and its historical significance as the dawning of the “Nuclear Age,” remains contentious. Wide gaps appear to remain among the understandings of American, Japanese and other Asian peoples. Ritsumeikan University and the American University in Washington, D.C. jointly developed and run this exchange program in order to fill these gaps. In 1995, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum cancelled its planned A-bomb exhibit. This incident motivated the American University to hold its own A-bomb exhibit and extend invitations to the Mayor of Hiroshima as well as many survivors. This event inspired the birth of this program, which this year marks its 15th anniversary.
The Peace Exchange Tour Program remains student-led: its past participants are actively involved with its planning and coordination. Key concerns for research and discussion include: 1) What happened under the mushroom clouds of the A-bombs? 2) Was A-bombing a ‘necessary evil,’ or a ‘malicious war crime’? 3) Is it possible to abolish nuclear weapons, or are they useful for security? 4) What can we do to overcome the vicious circle of hate and war, and to promote international understanding and cooperation?
There will be 10 to 15 U.S. participants who will apply through the American University. The main text for discussion will be John Hersey’s classic reportage “Hiroshima,” which first informed Americans of the horrific conditions in Hiroshima following the A-bombing. Accompanying this year’s participants will be Koko Kondo, who appears in Hersey’s book as the youngest baby hibakusha. Ms Kondo is the first daughter of Rev. Kiyoshi Tanimoto, leader of the Hiroshima Maiden Project which brought young female hibakusha to the U.S. for treatment of facial scarring caused by a-bombing.
Program participants are expected to be engaged in peace studies, open to an experiential style of learning, and interested in learning more about the language and culture of Japan. The primary language of the tour will be English. Some Japanese participants will have beginner’s level English skills. North American students are requested to join their Japanese peers and communicate with respect and mutual understanding.
Program Itinerary (subject to change):
July 31(Fri.) - Program start in Kyoto
August 1(Sat) - Sightseeing in Kyoto, and Welcome Party
August 2(Sun) - Visit Ritsumeikan International Peace Museum, Workshop/Lecture
August 3(Mon) - Visit the War Exhibit at Ritsumeikan International Peace Museum, Workshop/ Lecture, and a field trip in Kyoto
August 4(Tue) - Leave for Hiroshima/visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
August 5(Wed) - Visit sites referred to in John Hersey’s “Hiroshima” / mid-term debriefing
August 6(Thu) - Attend the Hiroshima Memorial Ceremony, and visit with hibakusha and related organizations
August 7(Fri) - Discussion with the Mayor of Hiroshima / leave for Nagasaki / visit the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum
August 8 (Sat) - Visit hibakusha / field trips to war-related sites in Nagasaki
August 9 (Sun) - Memorial Ceremony at Shiroyama Elementary School / Attend Nagasaki City’s Memorial Ceremony / visit Gunkan Island (optional)/Farewell Party
August 10 (Mon) - Wrap-up workshop / program ends in Nagasaki around noon / AU students take train to Tokyo / overnight in Tokyo (it is optional for Canadian participants to join AU’s trip to Tokyo)
August 11(Tue) - Optional program in Tokyo / AU students leave Japan
* For July 31st, program staff are able upon request to make meet-and-greet arrangements at Itami (Osaka) International Airport. Following the end of the program around noon on August 10th participants will be responsible for making their own travel arrangements, though program staff will be available to give basic travel advice.
Required Reading: “Hiroshima” by John Hersey (1946, 1985), Random House
Program Fee: 46,000 yen (approx. 460 Canadian dollars; will fluctuate according to changes in current exchange rates)
(*) Students who qualify for the Ritsumeikan subsidy of 30,000 yen (approx. $300) will be informed by program staff at the time of registration confirmation. Program fees for students receiving the subsidy will be 16,000 yen (approx. $160).
Program fee includes:
- 10-night accommodation from the night of July 31st to August 9 (4 nights in Kyoto, 3 nights in Hiroshima, 3 nights in Nagasaki)
- Costs associated with all group activities such as museum admission, local transportation, welcome and farewell parties, honoraria to guest speakers and staff, and all administrative and coordination costs.
Participating students are responsible for arranging and paying for the following:
- Return airfare to and from Japan
- Transportation within Japan from the point of arrival to Kyoto, and from Nagasaki to the point of departure
- Overseas Travel Insurance (mandatory - check your insurance coverage with your university or college)
- One-week Japan Rail Pass valid from August 4 to 10 (2-week one may be more convenient depending on your travel schedule before and after the program)
*The pass can only be purchased OUTSIDE of Japan. Canadian participants must make their purchase PRIOR to departure.
* The cost to participants of the Pass may vary according to Japan Rail price changes and current exchange rates. As of April 18, 2009, the Japan Rail price for a one-week pass is 28,300 yen, or approximately C$283. For information on Japan Rail Pass, go to: http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en001.html - Accommodation costs other than the 10 nights included in the Program
- Meals, other than meals for the Welcome Party and Farewell Party
- All costs associated with activities such as sightseeing, small group field trips, and the optional visit to Gunkan Island in Nagasaki.
- All other personal expenses
Eligibility: full-time students (undergraduate or graduate) at a Canadian university or college, who are not originally from Japan – up to three students. Priority will be given to students who are coming back to Canada after the program ends to participate in the special reporting event to take place in September or October 2009. * Participants must hold a valid passport and visa necessary to enter and stay in Japan for the duration of the program. It is the responsibility of participants to check if visa is required to enter Japan with the passport that they hold.
Registration Procedure: Submit your CV (not more than 2 pages) and a cover letter describing why you would like to participate in this program and what you expect to gain from the experience. Send by email to Satoko Norimatsu info@peacephilosophy.com. Due to the limited space, we will conduct an interview either by phone or in person.
Program Inquiries:
Satoko Norimatsu
Peace Philosophy Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Email: info@peacephilosophy.com Phone: 604-619-5627
Additional Information:
American University's Nuclear Studies Institute
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Japan's Sanctions Against North Korea Are Unfairly Targeted at Korean People in Japan
This article was written by Dr. Yasunori Takazane, Director of Oka Masaharu Memorial Peace Museum in Nagasaki, to criticize the Japanese Government's sanctions against DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) saying many of those are targeted against Koreans living in Japan who are not responsible for the nuclear and missile program or the abduction of Japanese citizens.
在日朝鮮人の人権を侵害する制裁は許されない
高 實 康 稔
朝鮮民主主義人民共和国が人工衛星発射と宣言して行った発射（４月５日）に対して、日本政府は４月１０日、ミサイル発射と決め付けて下記の制裁を実施すると閣議決定した。
① これまで半年ごとに延長してきた現行制裁の期間を１年に延ばす
② 北朝鮮への送金報告義務額を現行の３千万円超から１千万円超に引き下げ
③ 北朝鮮への渡航者が持ち出す際の届出額を現在の百万円超から３０万円超に引き下げ
これらは自民党拉致問題対策特命委員会が４月７日、政府に対して実施を申し入れていた６項目のうちの３項目で、同委員会はさらに「全品目の輸出を全面禁止」、「対北朝鮮輸出入制限などに違反した外国人船員の上陸や、北朝鮮に渡航した在日外国人の再入国を原則禁止」、「朝鮮総連や関連団体施設の固定資産税を減免しないよう自治体への指導を強化」を求めていた。政府が３項目に絞ったのは一見緩やかな制裁にとどめたかにみえるが、実はそうではなく、除かれた項目は効果が薄いかまたは既に実施されている制裁の強化にすぎないからである。すなわち、輸出は昨年８億円弱にまで減少しており、固定資産税の減免拒否も全国的に拡大しつつあり、永住権を持つ在日朝鮮人の再入国も既に厳しく制限されているからである。要するに、上記①の現行の制裁を強化延長することにこそ最大の狙いがあるのである。
現行の制裁は２００６年の核実験を契機に実施されたのであるが、それは事実上在日朝鮮人に対する人権侵害でしかなく、その実態はまさに迫害といわざるをえないものである。
①北朝鮮との往来船である「マンギョンボンー９２号」をはじめ、北朝鮮籍船の入港禁止
②従来「数次」再入国許可の即日交付を原則「１回限り」に制限
③総務省が通達により、朝鮮総連関連施設に対する固定資産税減免措置の取消を指導
④全品目の輸入禁止
これら現行の制裁事項のうち、④以外はすべて在日朝鮮人を対象とするものであり、祖国往来の自由を妨害するとともに、地域住民との親善交流の場でもある会館の維持運営を阻害して、彼らをいかに苦しめているかは推して知るべしである。加えて、この制裁に乗じて、朝鮮学校児童への暴行・暴言事件や朝鮮総連の中央本部および各地の関連施設への威嚇、放火、破壊等のテロ行為が頻発し、在日朝鮮人芸術家による「金剛山歌劇団」の公演妨害や自治体後援の取消も続出したことは記憶に新しい。政府がこれらの違法行為や不当な行為に適切に対処しなかったことも由々しき問題である。今回の制裁延長によって、こうした事態がさらに続くことは国内的にも国際的にも到底許されないことである。拉致問題にせよ核問題にせよ、在日朝鮮人の責任に帰すべき問題ではないからである。ここには、米国やカナダが戦時中日系人を強制収容した人権侵害行為を彷彿させる類似の構造が隠されているといって過言ではない。日本政府は自国の住民である外国人の人権を内外人平等の原則にしたがって保障する義務を公然と逸脱している。
国際人権規約に違反するこうした理不尽な制裁は、戦後一貫した在日朝鮮人差別と朝鮮民主主義人民共和国に対する敵視政策の延長線上にあることも指摘しなければならない。朝鮮学校に対する抑圧（各種学校にとどめ、国費助成の対象外）、外国人登録証の常時携帯義務と重罰規定、高齢の無年金者の放置（１９７９年の国際人権規約批准に伴う国内法改正まで国民年金加入資格を剥奪）、移動の自由侵害（再入国許可制度と出入国時の過剰な荷物検査や執拗な質問など）、過剰捜査（朝鮮学校や朝鮮総連関係者に対する不当な嫌疑による度重なる過剰捜査）など、露骨な民族差別は今なお続いている。また、この状況に無頓着もしくは肯定的な態度をとっている多数の日本国民にも責任があることはいうまでもない。その人権意識の向上が強く求められるところである。
（２００９年４月１６日記、ＮＰＯ法人岡まさはる記念長崎平和資料館理事長）
Friday, April 17, 2009
Report on Eiji Yoshikawa's Public Lecture
On the last day of the easter weekend, the 13th of April, I participated in Eiji-san's public lecture held at Pearson college in Victoria.
I totally agree with Satoko-san's description about him as "selfless charisma". He is greatly passionate, dedicated, and warm-hearted person who can bring changes and shifts in our consciousness that Earth needs.
At the public lecture, he mainly talked about his experience as a boxing trainer of Iwao Otomo. The story of how Eiji-san and Otomo walked together the path toward the "world championship" was so uplifting and persuasive, which taught me(and all the people who were there, I believe) how beautiful our life can be if we hold on to our beliefs and dreams, no matter what happens and no matter how it seems to be impossible and difficult to achieve.
One of the most inspirational and moving scenes he depicted was when Otomo had a fight in Australia, the local people from Australia who were watching the game started to cheering him up even though Otomo is not from Australia. (I am not quite sure where it was, but if it's not Australia, please correct me.) He told us that he was very impressed and moved at the moment when he saw Australian people going beyond their identity/nationality and rooting for Otomo, a "Japanese" boxer. They saw Otomo simply as a boxer, a man, a person, instead of seeing him "Japanese" boxer or "Japanese".
Personally, whenever I come across the notion of identity politics, I have strong belief in the importance of "Going beyond our identity" to transform ourselves into more universal, loving, and caring beings. This is because, as we all know, it is impossible to create a "peaceful world" as long as we remain within the concept of identity, which is politically and socially imagined, created, and perpetuated based on our nationality,cultural and ethnic background, and so on. We must keep reminding us of that identity is just boundaries and borders that separate us from one another as "'the-we-who-want-to-change-the-world' cannot be defined" (Holloway, 2005: p62)
"Be the change you want to see in the world" (Gandhi aphorism)- it starts with people changing their individual behaviour. It is very important to speak out, extremely important, but if you are not doing what you are saying, but you're telling others to do it, there's a big disconnect. Therefore, what I and you, or "we", need to work on is "to be the change we want to see", as Eiji san and Satoko san are doing and showing to us.
"The important thing is not how long we live, but how we live it", Eiji-san urged us.
His powerful and inspirational speech has brought such a big and everlasting hope to us. Instead of wondering or doubting how much our power-to is influential, we should believe in our unlimited creativity and potential to change ourselves, society, and the world.
Love and Peace,
Shoko
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Great food, engaged discussion and lasting friendship
Thank you everyone for making the last salon such a success! Special thanks to Eiji Yoshikawa. Eiji, I would call you a "selfless charisma." You are so inspiring, loving, engaged, determined, tough and gentle at the same time, and an amazingly down-to-earth, and humorous speaker! We were all inspired. Your stories and examples were convincing, especially those related to boxing, because you lived them, not just pulled them out of a book or something. I hope you will come back soon. Next time I will plan a bigger event with you. There were so many words that stood out for me, but if I say one thing.
"To help other people achieve their dream helps you achieve yours. That itself should not be a purpose, but that's the truth of life. "
What I loved about Saturday's salon is that the reflection of the salons were very nicely tied in with and segued into Eiji's talk. Everything was connected and integrated. The three students who came for the first time and Eiji, whom I even met for the first time that day seemed like they had been with us for the whole time!
What I loved about Saturday's salon is that the reflection of the salons were very nicely tied in with and segued into Eiji's talk. Everything was connected and integrated. The three students who came for the first time and Eiji, whom I even met for the first time that day seemed like they had been with us for the whole time!
We started the evening with a potluck party, with Arc's turkey as its highlight. Thanks all for bringing food and drinks! Then we had a discussion to reflect on the past salons - on Japan's Constitution, Senji Yamamoto, Hiroshima/Nagasaki, and Nanjing Massacre. We divided into small groups, each of which focused on one of the
topics. The last but not the least event of the evening was Shoko's special coconut cheesecake (I don't know if it's the right name but I loved the coconuts in it!)
topics. The last but not the least event of the evening was Shoko's special coconut cheesecake (I don't know if it's the right name but I loved the coconuts in it!) Thanks so much,
Satoko
Here are participants' comments:
*****************************
Hiroko:
"Thank your for the special guest, Eiji Yoshikawa. His personality, words, and activities are all inspiring (he is interesting and funny, too;) I am lucky to meet him.
After the session was finished, we were eating and chatting in a small group. Eiji and I were talking about his experience.And another person joined us. Some people eventually came close to him. And then, all participants surrounded him. It embodied the salon: no exam, no homework - study spontaneously. It was a wonderful moment.
Once again, thank you very much for your dedicated work and positive energy. I am thinking of what is important in my life and what I can do in the rest of my life. "
*************************************
Arc:
"I want to say thank you to Eiji san. Your talking is very inspiring and interesting. I hope I could have a chance to talk to you more, unfortunately the evil exams occupied me. I felt I used t have big problems with confidence. I remember Satoko san once told me that “you use the word ‘worry’ too much, you should have more confidence.”, then I said, “But I worry that people will think me as an arrogant guy.” Thanks to the help of these friends, now I’m learning how to find the good balance between being modest and being confident. Talking about being courageous and confident, I think my practice of Kendo also helped me a lot. Eiji san, next time let’s talk some about martial arts!
The next is a message to Rits friends (and also might be a late response to Hiroshi’s comment): I remember on Saturday we talked about this: politics is too complicated. We often get overwhelmed by huge amount of information--maybe we could never know the truth. I totally agree--but there is one truth does exist. I might not sure about what are the politicians are doing, but I’m sure about my own will--it is a will that wishes our friendship could last forever, a will of future peace and love. At least I’m sure this part is true. Based on this truth I have, I can pickup certain information I think works with this truth and drop certain information I think will not help this thinking. Thus I think the complexity of “facts” actually is not a problem.
Sorry, looks like I’m still in the discussion mode. It is too sad to say good bye, but I’m sure that we are chasing our dreams, moving to a beautiful future, thus a temporary
separation is fine. And this is not a farewell, we will see each other, I mean, not only this summer Hiroshima Program but also in a further future, we will see each other in a big big stage. Please don’t forget to tap my shoulder at that time!
separation is fine. And this is not a farewell, we will see each other, I mean, not only this summer Hiroshima Program but also in a further future, we will see each other in a big big stage. Please don’t forget to tap my shoulder at that time! 次のメッセージは立命館の友たちのために：土曜日に、私たちは、政治の事はとても複雑だから，たぶん本当の真実が分かることはできませんと言いました。私はこれを同意する、でも、私も、本当の真実はひとつあると思います。政治のこと、私は知りません、でも、自分のことはわかります。私は本当の友情がほしい、平和な未来がほしい、これは確認できるの真実だとおもいます。この真実のよって、役に立つ情報を聞きで、役に立たない情報は捨てて、問題がありませんとおもいます。 すみません、私はまだディスカッション・モードにいます。 みんながもうすぐ日本へ帰ります、それを思った時は少し悲しくなった。でも、みんなは美しい未来や、明るい夢を追って、いまの別れは大丈夫だと思います。これがさよならじゃない、未来で再会があると信じます。この夏の広島プログラムに、そして、長い後の未来で、とっても大きい舞台の中に、再会をします。私はそう信じます。"
*************************************
Taro Whitred:
"Yesterday's salon was so excited and I don't know where to start my report of it, but first of all I want to thank everyone, including Satoko-san, Mr.Eiji, and of course all of the participants. We could make this wonderful event not only because of one person's effort, but because of everyone's.
サロン参加者の夢はそれぞれなんだけれど、皆のなにかここで得よ うと一緒になって真剣に取り組む姿には大きな勇気とエネルギーを もらいました。ディスカッションの場を設けられると、既に一度 やったことのあるトピックにもかかわらず、みんなが本気で問題点 や解決策を考え合います。いつも参加していて素晴らしいなと思う ことは、全員が自分の意見をまっすぐに言うこと。でもそれ以上に 人の意見にもしっかり耳を傾け、もし自分の意見に見直すところが あれば改善していくという柔軟性を持っているところです。ただ違 う意見同士ぶつかり合っていては何も生まれないし、話を前に進め ることも大変です。このサロンの仲間達はきっと"平 和"という共通の思いや願いがあるために、お互いを尊重し合 うやりとりが出来るのだなと心から感じました。
特に今回は、英治さんという特別ゲストを迎えてのサロンでした。 ガンディーの格言に"Live as if you were to die tomorrow, learn as if you were to live forever"というものがあります。これは常に自分に言 い聞かせている言葉なのですが、英治さんはまるでこの言葉のとお り生きている人間だと感じました。「リングの上の３分も人生の１ ００年も同じ、いつもベストを尽くさなくてはいけない」と英治さ んは言います。本当にその通りです。ただそれを分かっていても実 際に行動できない人がほとんどで、だからこそ英治さんは輝いて見 えました。歴史をみると、いつも正義が叩かれている。今もまだそ んな世の中だと思います。だけれど、最後の最後に勝つのはやはり 正義であると私は信じています。一人一人が協力し合い少しずつ大 きなものにしていけば、ひと一人はもちろん、世界だって変えてい けるはずです。英治さんにもらったパワーを決して無駄なものにせ ず、世の為になる力へと変えて行きましょう！英治さん、昨日は本 当にありがとうございました！” ウイットレッド太朗
*************************************
Walter M.:
”聡子サロンのお蔭で多くの若い方達と一緒に山本宣治が弱者のためにたたかい、丸木位里・俊夫妻が原爆投下の悲惨を訴え続けた絵、南京の虐殺、吉川英治氏との対話を通じて、一人ひとりが感じ、
考え、話し合い、接する機会を得ました。今後、参加者がそれぞれの生活の場で一人でも多くの人達
に平和を大事にすることを訴えていただきたいと願います。今後も聡子サロンを継続して頂きたいとお願いします。有難うございました。”
考え、話し合い、接する機会を得ました。今後、参加者がそれぞれの生活の場で一人でも多くの人達
に平和を大事にすることを訴えていただきたいと願います。今後も聡子サロンを継続して頂きたいとお願いします。有難うございました。”
*************************************
Junghoon Kim:
"サロンで今まで一人で考え込んでいたことを話し合うこととしていろいろ学んでとても有益でした。昨日は知識を学ぶことだけに止まらずそれを人生、そして社会でどう使うべきかについての経験話を聞くことが出来てよかったです。ありがとうございました。"
*************************************
Wataru K. :
"I was glad to experience such a great debate with members. To me, it's the first time but we, three new members could share our opinions with original members easily and freely. The debate in the last salon was composed of every participants' serious and sincere thoughts. We expressed constructive opinions with each other, and the debate grew bigger and wider, including a variety of topics like politics, history, media, or education.
The special guest, Eiji-san is, I think, a very "isagiyoi" person (manly,coherent person who does right things straightforwardly every time.). The coherence of what he thinks and does made me think that he is like a"Bushi", or Japanese "Samurai". And I was surprised that everyone was impressed by his remarks very much like me."
*************************************
Tatsu Y.
立命館からの交換留学生の最後のサロンにふさわしいすばらしい勉強会でした。英治さんはよく極論を言う人であると感じていました。しかしその言葉が私たち一人ひとりに行動を強制しているのではないと同時に感じました。むしろ英治さんの平和に対する熱い想いが、理屈よりも早く心に届くという感じでした。私自身日本に帰ってしまうと平和活動がこっちにいた時よりも活発ではなくなってしまうだろうと考えていました。今はこの自分の弱さを反省しています。より一層活動を盛り上げていきたいと今では考えています。せっかく培ったこの平和に対する想いの土台を日本帰国後なくすことのないよう頑張りたいと思います。
************************************
Mikan
このサロンでのディスカッションや勉強は、私の留学生活の中で1番勉強になったといえるくらい大きなものでした。「平和」という大きくて実現することが難しいテーマについて、こんなに現実的に考えられたことがとても良かったです。そして、カナダに住んでいる皆さんの、日本を客観的に見る姿勢がとても印象的で、なんて自分の視野は狭かったんだろうと思うことができました。また、最後のサロンで英治さんという素晴らしい方に出会えて本当に良かったです。特に私は「人生は長さではなく、どう生きたかが重要」というのと、「Don't think, Just do it!!」という言葉が印象に残っています。この言葉を胸に、日本に帰ってもぶれることなく頑張ろうと思います。8月の広島長崎でまた勉強できるといいです。
Thank you very much everyone. I look forward to your comments.
Love,
Satoko
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Frontline For Peace Vancouver Presents Film "Travelling for Gratitude"
Frontline for Peace Vancouver
PRESENTS
Chikyu no Stage – Arigato no Monogatari
(Frontline for Peace – Traveling for Gratitude)
PRESENTS
Chikyu no Stage – Arigato no Monogatari
(Frontline for Peace – Traveling for Gratitude)
100-Minute documentary Film, Directed by Iichiro Sato
English Subtitles
Sunday, May 24, 2009, 1:00-3:00 PM
Doors Open at 12:30 p.m.
Nikkei Heritage Centre
6688 Southoaks Crescent, Burnaby, BC
Frontline for Peace Vancouver will host the showing of the documentary on Sunday, May 24, 2009, at the Nikkei Heritage Centre, 6688 Southoaks Crescent, Burnaby, BC. The film tells the story of Dr. Norihiko Kuwayama, founder of international non-profit organization, Frontline for Peace, which provides medical relief in areas of conflict and poverty around the world. Former director for NHK Iichiro Sato traveled with Dr. Kuwayama to film his work and provide a vivid account of the effects of war and poverty on men, women and children. Parental guidance is recommended for young children. The film has been well received in Japan.
Chikyu no Stage – Arigato no Monogatari seeks to foster mutual understanding and to help inform audiences of ways to actively support the relief work of Dr. Kuwayama. The film challenges viewers to ponder the true meaning of happiness.
Frontline for Peace Vancouver has organized to support Dr. Kuwayama’s activities and to fundraise for future live performances in Canada.
TICKETS
In Advance Adults $10.00 Children $5.00
Via email: ffpv2009@yahoo.com
Via telephone: 604-723-1649 (10:00 AM-5:00 PM)
At the Entrance Adults $12.00 Children $6.00
* Peace Philosophy Centre is a supporting organization for this event.
* See here for Japanese version.
Monday, April 06, 2009
Quilting, Love, and Forgiveness
Look at this beautiful collection of 9-patches. The White Rock Group of Peace PhilosophyCentre took the initiative in this Quilting for Peace project, and Kyoko-san is going to put together all these pieces for us. The number "9" symbolizes Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, which renounces war and prohibits possession of armed forces. Many of these pieces were contributed by members of Vancouver Save Article 9, Clover Group, and exchange students from Ritsumeikan University. Thank you so much to all who made this happen for us and we really look forward to the final product... again, thank you Kyoko-san.
Last Saturday we watched the documentary film "The Power of Forgiveness." It was an inspiring film that provoked many emotions and thoughts in all who watched it. How do we forgive the unforgivable? How do we accept the most unacceptable? How do we forgive ourselves? Can we achieve justice and forgiveness at the same time? Is forgiveness a proactive decision, or something that just happens when the right timing comes? Elie Wiesel, the author and a Holocaust survivor talks about the Jewish way of forgiving. There are two ways of forgiveness - one that God can give, and one that humans give. When you hurt someone, you can only be forgiven by that person. You ask forgiveness for three times, and if forgiveness is not granted, then the blame will be on the other person. Too often we try to make up for the damage that we cause, but we don't actually ask for forgiveness. Elie Wiesel suggests that it is about time that Germany asked Jewish people for forgiveness. Asking forgiveness takes a lot of courage, maybe more courage than admitting and compensating for the damage itself. It makes you vulnerable. It is a total surrender. You surrender yourself to the person you have hurt. Yet it can potentially empower and heal the both sides.
I am sorry. Please forgive me.
What would the world look like if these words are said without hesitation, and with utmost sincerity where they are most needed?
And it all starts with me.
Love and peace, beyond all understanding,
Satoko
Peace Philosophy Salon Spring Wrap-up and Social
Peace Philosophy Salon - Spring Wrap-up and Social
6 PM - 9PM, Saturday April 11th
At Peace Philosophy Centre (email info@peacephilosophy.com for direction)
***Please bring food, snacks, and/or drinks to share***
With special guest Mr. Eiji Yoshikawa, a boxer and peace educator from Japan
RSVP by Friday, April 10th info@peacephilosophy.com
This Salon will be the last one for Ritsumeikan students, as they will be leaving mid to late April.
This Salon will take a different format from the past ones.
The purposes of this time are:
1) To reflect and debrief on the series of the past Salons this winter
2) To wish a loving farewell to Ritsumeikan students
3) To welcome our special guest Eiji, who is visiting from Japan to give talks at schools in Canada 4) Above all, to get together and have fun!
* We chose not to introduce a new material for this last Salon of the spring, because we have covered some heavy materials and this is a good opportunity to reflect on them and summarize, and share what we have learnt and got out of the past salons.
* Please think about these questions before you come.
A) Do you have any specific reflections, comments, and questions from the past salons that you attended - Japanese Constitution, Senji Yamamoto, Hiroshima/Nagasaki, and Nanjing Massacre?
B) If you have attended more than one session, what do you think are the connections between the different topics that we covered?
C) How do you see the connection between these salons and your future activities - school, work, personal life, etc?
Please don't miss this last opportunity to get together before everyone leaves for their summer activities.
I look forward to seeing many of you!!!
Love,
Satoko and Arc
Peace Philosophy Centre
6 PM - 9PM, Saturday April 11th
At Peace Philosophy Centre (email info@peacephilosophy.com for direction)
***Please bring food, snacks, and/or drinks to share***
With special guest Mr. Eiji Yoshikawa, a boxer and peace educator from Japan
RSVP by Friday, April 10th info@peacephilosophy.com
This Salon will be the last one for Ritsumeikan students, as they will be leaving mid to late April.
This Salon will take a different format from the past ones.
The purposes of this time are:
1) To reflect and debrief on the series of the past Salons this winter
2) To wish a loving farewell to Ritsumeikan students
3) To welcome our special guest Eiji, who is visiting from Japan to give talks at schools in Canada 4) Above all, to get together and have fun!
* We chose not to introduce a new material for this last Salon of the spring, because we have covered some heavy materials and this is a good opportunity to reflect on them and summarize, and share what we have learnt and got out of the past salons.
* Please think about these questions before you come.
A) Do you have any specific reflections, comments, and questions from the past salons that you attended - Japanese Constitution, Senji Yamamoto, Hiroshima/Nagasaki, and Nanjing Massacre?
B) If you have attended more than one session, what do you think are the connections between the different topics that we covered?
C) How do you see the connection between these salons and your future activities - school, work, personal life, etc?
Please don't miss this last opportunity to get together before everyone leaves for their summer activities.
I look forward to seeing many of you!!!
Love,
Satoko and Arc
Peace Philosophy Centre
Monday, March 30, 2009
Thoughts on "Nanking" and thanks to everyone, By Arc
In the Peace Philosophy Centre Salon of Saturday, 28th March 2009, we talked about the issues of Nanjing Massacre. We watched movie “Nanking”, which recorded the efforts of several foreigners to protect civilians from raping and killing in Nanjing 1937. After the movie, we had a meaningful and serious discussion. Topics related to the Massacre, such as “incident” vs. “massacre”, and the debates over the number of the victims, were discussed.
I’m surprised that we had so many people yesterday, and the discussion group was so balanced composed by people with different background. And more surprisingly, we all come to a same conclusion that wars and the violation to humanity should not happen again. Personally, I’m really impressed by the consensus. It gives me a strong hope for the future.
在本周六晚和平哲学中心沙龙会上我们观看了关于南京大屠杀的影片《南京》。影片记述了1937年日军侵占南京的经过以及后来在南京烧杀抢掠的罪行。影片也记述了几名外国人在南京沦陷之后设立安全区从日本军队的刺刀下保护中国难民的经过。影片过后我们进行了有意义的讨论。以下是来自ARC的感想：
当我看到今晚庞大的出席人数的时候不禁吃了一惊，然后开始担心中心的椅子够不够用了。更让人吃惊的是来宾的构成，涵盖了加拿大人，华人，日裔，韩裔等等族群。这大大丰富了我们后来的讨论内容，让我们有机会听到来自不同团体的不同声音。相信这对促进我们之间的相互了解大有裨益。
对于最富有争议的两个话题之一的受难者人数问题，我的理解是这样的：几乎所有的与会者都认为争论死亡人数是毫无意义的，一个殉难者的生命是和30万受难者的生命一样宝贵的。我对此深表赞成。我认为关于死亡人数的争论已经被过度的政治化了。两国政府在这个议题上过分的倾注了精力。这个议题不应当与政治挂钩，这应当是超越政治，仅与基本的人道主义原则有关的议题。无论死亡人数是多是少，这都不应当成为被政治家有目的的操纵的话题。正如一位与会者指出，我们不应当过度关注人数的问题而忽略了“为什么会发生这样的事情”的思考，而事实上学术界和政界在这方面的研究是完全不够的。与其争论具体的死亡人数，不如关注一下未来我们如何防止这样的事情再度发生。
从民众的角度而言，以我对中国民众的理解，我相信中国民众强调30万殉难者这一数字绝非是立意要羞辱日本政府和人民。中国民众认为低估这一数字是不可接受的，部分原因可以归结于对死者的尊重。从传统文化的角度，遗忘死者是对其极大的不尊重甚至会招来报应。另外，日本右派对战争责任的态度问题应该也在中国民众的强硬态度中起到了很大的推动作用。
About the issue of the number of victims, my comments are: almost all attendants of the salon agree this is a meaningless issue, because one life is equally precious as 300,000 lives. I agree. This issue has been excessively politicized. This is more like a humanitarian issue, instead of political issue. No matter how many people died, this issue should not be purposefully manipulated by politicians. We should care more about “why this happened” instead of spending too much energy on debating about the number of casualties.
From my understanding of Chinese people, I think our emphasis on the number issue definitely does not mean we want humiliate Japanese people. From a Chinese cultural perspective, the dead should be respected, and to forget him/her is a humiliation to him/her and might hurt your karma. And there are some other reasons to cause this complex issue too, and some more discussion will be helpful.
对于另一个议题，南京事件VS.南京大屠杀的名称问题，我个人认为南京事件的称呼法是错误的。正如一位与会者指出，事件/事故这个词强调其事实性和独立性。但这样一个逻辑不适用于南京大屠杀这样的战争罪行。如果把南京大屠杀描绘为一个事件的话，那它就具有很多事件/事故的共同特征：独立的，偶然发生的，难以追究原因的。这显然是不利于年轻一代了解事情的起因，也显然不利于我们今后组织止这样事情再度发生的。
令人惊异的是南京事件这个词被广泛的被日本和平人士使用，倒是极端民族主义者常常使用南京大屠杀这个词--当然他们使用的目的是为了否定大屠杀存在的客观事实--对于他们而言即便是南京事件也并不存在。我个人对南京事件这个词的使用持宽容的态度，但条件是使用者须了解整个事件的来龙去脉和对事件的性质有清楚的认识。再一次的，我相信中国民众强调大屠杀这个词也绝非是要羞辱日本民众，相对的，我们强调事件的起因和性质，是因为我们希望这样的事情不要再发生。
About the issue of the working “accident/incident” vs. “massacre”, my comments are: the word “incident/accident” has meanings of “being and just being factual”, “independent” (in statistic term, one incident doesn’t make another incident more likely or less likely to happen. These are independent incident.) These two meanings make the word wrong in this case. We need think about the cause and how to prevent such a violation to humanity to happen again. For this purpose, the word “incident” is not helpful.
Personally, I’m open to the use of the word “incident”, providing that the user of this word understands the cause and the suffering of those victims. Again, I want to emphasize that I don’t think Chinese people want to humiliate Japanese people by emphasizing the word “massacre”. On the contrary, we emphasize the cause and the suffering of the incident, only because we want to make sure everyone understand it, and make sure this will not happen again.
最后，我对当天出席的立命馆大学的同学和日本友人表示深切的感谢。你们的勇气和开明的态度让我钦佩。我能明白你们身上所承受的压力和内心的感受，但你们的行动显然正在一点一滴的融化我们之间的坚冰。请继续加油，美好和平的未来需要我们共同去创造。
At last, I want to send my serious appreciation to the students from Ritsumeikan University and friends from Japan. I admire your courage and your open-minded attitude. I can understand your feeling and your pressure. It’s not an easy thing, but what you did are just making changes to the relationship between these two countries. If there was an iceberg in the relationship, your enthusiasm are melting it down little by little. Please keep on doing so; don’t stop, and we will be with you; let us labour together towards a peaceful future.
最後に、私は立命館の学友と日本の学友たちに本当に感謝をしています。私は、貴方たちの勇気とopen-mindに敬慕しています。貴方たちの気持ちや、この出来事の重みを思うと、これがぜんぜん簡単ではないと思います。でも、貴方たちの行動は、この国たちの間の氷山を少しずつ融かしていきます。頑張ってください、私も一緒に。平和と美しい未来は私たちの手の中です。
I’m surprised that we had so many people yesterday, and the discussion group was so balanced composed by people with different background. And more surprisingly, we all come to a same conclusion that wars and the violation to humanity should not happen again. Personally, I’m really impressed by the consensus. It gives me a strong hope for the future.
在本周六晚和平哲学中心沙龙会上我们观看了关于南京大屠杀的影片《南京》。影片记述了1937年日军侵占南京的经过以及后来在南京烧杀抢掠的罪行。影片也记述了几名外国人在南京沦陷之后设立安全区从日本军队的刺刀下保护中国难民的经过。影片过后我们进行了有意义的讨论。以下是来自ARC的感想：
当我看到今晚庞大的出席人数的时候不禁吃了一惊，然后开始担心中心的椅子够不够用了。更让人吃惊的是来宾的构成，涵盖了加拿大人，华人，日裔，韩裔等等族群。这大大丰富了我们后来的讨论内容，让我们有机会听到来自不同团体的不同声音。相信这对促进我们之间的相互了解大有裨益。
对于最富有争议的两个话题之一的受难者人数问题，我的理解是这样的：几乎所有的与会者都认为争论死亡人数是毫无意义的，一个殉难者的生命是和30万受难者的生命一样宝贵的。我对此深表赞成。我认为关于死亡人数的争论已经被过度的政治化了。两国政府在这个议题上过分的倾注了精力。这个议题不应当与政治挂钩，这应当是超越政治，仅与基本的人道主义原则有关的议题。无论死亡人数是多是少，这都不应当成为被政治家有目的的操纵的话题。正如一位与会者指出，我们不应当过度关注人数的问题而忽略了“为什么会发生这样的事情”的思考，而事实上学术界和政界在这方面的研究是完全不够的。与其争论具体的死亡人数，不如关注一下未来我们如何防止这样的事情再度发生。
从民众的角度而言，以我对中国民众的理解，我相信中国民众强调30万殉难者这一数字绝非是立意要羞辱日本政府和人民。中国民众认为低估这一数字是不可接受的，部分原因可以归结于对死者的尊重。从传统文化的角度，遗忘死者是对其极大的不尊重甚至会招来报应。另外，日本右派对战争责任的态度问题应该也在中国民众的强硬态度中起到了很大的推动作用。
About the issue of the number of victims, my comments are: almost all attendants of the salon agree this is a meaningless issue, because one life is equally precious as 300,000 lives. I agree. This issue has been excessively politicized. This is more like a humanitarian issue, instead of political issue. No matter how many people died, this issue should not be purposefully manipulated by politicians. We should care more about “why this happened” instead of spending too much energy on debating about the number of casualties.
From my understanding of Chinese people, I think our emphasis on the number issue definitely does not mean we want humiliate Japanese people. From a Chinese cultural perspective, the dead should be respected, and to forget him/her is a humiliation to him/her and might hurt your karma. And there are some other reasons to cause this complex issue too, and some more discussion will be helpful.
对于另一个议题，南京事件VS.南京大屠杀的名称问题，我个人认为南京事件的称呼法是错误的。正如一位与会者指出，事件/事故这个词强调其事实性和独立性。但这样一个逻辑不适用于南京大屠杀这样的战争罪行。如果把南京大屠杀描绘为一个事件的话，那它就具有很多事件/事故的共同特征：独立的，偶然发生的，难以追究原因的。这显然是不利于年轻一代了解事情的起因，也显然不利于我们今后组织止这样事情再度发生的。
令人惊异的是南京事件这个词被广泛的被日本和平人士使用，倒是极端民族主义者常常使用南京大屠杀这个词--当然他们使用的目的是为了否定大屠杀存在的客观事实--对于他们而言即便是南京事件也并不存在。我个人对南京事件这个词的使用持宽容的态度，但条件是使用者须了解整个事件的来龙去脉和对事件的性质有清楚的认识。再一次的，我相信中国民众强调大屠杀这个词也绝非是要羞辱日本民众，相对的，我们强调事件的起因和性质，是因为我们希望这样的事情不要再发生。
About the issue of the working “accident/incident” vs. “massacre”, my comments are: the word “incident/accident” has meanings of “being and just being factual”, “independent” (in statistic term, one incident doesn’t make another incident more likely or less likely to happen. These are independent incident.) These two meanings make the word wrong in this case. We need think about the cause and how to prevent such a violation to humanity to happen again. For this purpose, the word “incident” is not helpful.
Personally, I’m open to the use of the word “incident”, providing that the user of this word understands the cause and the suffering of those victims. Again, I want to emphasize that I don’t think Chinese people want to humiliate Japanese people by emphasizing the word “massacre”. On the contrary, we emphasize the cause and the suffering of the incident, only because we want to make sure everyone understand it, and make sure this will not happen again.
最后，我对当天出席的立命馆大学的同学和日本友人表示深切的感谢。你们的勇气和开明的态度让我钦佩。我能明白你们身上所承受的压力和内心的感受，但你们的行动显然正在一点一滴的融化我们之间的坚冰。请继续加油，美好和平的未来需要我们共同去创造。
At last, I want to send my serious appreciation to the students from Ritsumeikan University and friends from Japan. I admire your courage and your open-minded attitude. I can understand your feeling and your pressure. It’s not an easy thing, but what you did are just making changes to the relationship between these two countries. If there was an iceberg in the relationship, your enthusiasm are melting it down little by little. Please keep on doing so; don’t stop, and we will be with you; let us labour together towards a peaceful future.
最後に、私は立命館の学友と日本の学友たちに本当に感謝をしています。私は、貴方たちの勇気とopen-mindに敬慕しています。貴方たちの気持ちや、この出来事の重みを思うと、これがぜんぜん簡単ではないと思います。でも、貴方たちの行動は、この国たちの間の氷山を少しずつ融かしていきます。頑張ってください、私も一緒に。平和と美しい未来は私たちの手の中です。
A Film Screening "Travelling for Gratitude" on May 24
This is an announcement of a special film event on Sunday, May 24. The title of the film is "Travelling for Gratitude(Arigatou no monogatari)." It is about Dr. Kuwayama, a Japanese doctor who travels around the world to areas of conflict to help those in need of medical and mental care. Peace Philosophy Centre is one of the supporting organizations for this event. This is the Japanese version with English subtitles.
See here for English version.
文部科学省 選定
特別推薦 日本ＰＴＡ全国協議会
推薦 国連難民高等弁務官駐日事務所、財団法人日本ユニセフ協会
推薦 国連難民高等弁務官駐日事務所、財団法人日本ユニセフ協会
厚生労働省社会保障審議会推薦児童福祉文化財
後援 日本医師会
監督：佐藤威一郎
『地球のステージ ありがとうの物語』上映会のお知らせ
長年、紛争地や被災地、スラムでの医療救援活動を行っている精神科医師、桑山紀彦さんは、各地での活動を通して出会った人々とのふれあいの感動を、自作の歌と映像そして語りのライブ『地球のステージ』で伝えています。
後援 日本医師会
監督：佐藤威一郎
『地球のステージ ありがとうの物語』上映会のお知らせ
長年、紛争地や被災地、スラムでの医療救援活動を行っている精神科医師、桑山紀彦さんは、各地での活動を通して出会った人々とのふれあいの感動を、自作の歌と映像そして語りのライブ『地球のステージ』で伝えています。
この映画は、桑山医師と一緒に旅をしながら、彼の歌と目線を通じて逆境の中でも懸命に命を輝かせている子どもたちの命の躍動を描いたドキュメンタリーです。本当の幸せって何か？生きることの素晴らしさ、そして命の大切さを私たちに訴えかけます。
＊ 今年１月、東京、東中野の映画館で上映、ヤフーの映画劇場公開情報ランキング第１位、ぴあの映画満足度ランキング第２位。その他日本各地にて自主上映中。
『地球のステージ ありがとうの物語』公式ホームページ http://www.officeraft-qua.co.jp/e-stage2.html
日時： 2009年5月24日（日曜日） 開場12:30、開演13:00～15：00（映画上映時間100分）
会場： 日系ヘリテージセンター イベントホール
6688 Southoaks Crescent, Burnaby, B.C.
＊ 対象：小学校高学年以上
＊ 紛争地での映像が２～３箇所あります。年少のお子様には保護者のご指導をお願いします。
＊ 英語字幕付き
チケット：＜前売り券＞大人10ドル/子供5ドル(小学生以上15歳以下)
＜当日券＞ 大人12ドル/子供6ドル(小学生以上15歳以下）
＊Eメール、電話にて前売り予約受付致します。
前売り券販売店：
North Vancouver: Tama Organic Life Vancouver : Japan Shiatsu Clinic (Yaletown店)、ふじ屋本店、茶話ティー＆クラフトBurnaby : 日系ヘリテージセンターCoquitlam: Hatsumi＆Nishi Hair Design、松寿しRichmond: さくら寿司
主催：『地球のステージ』を支援する会
協賛：Peace Philosophy Centre
メディア協賛：月刊ふれいざー、バンクーバー新報、Ｏｏｐｓ！、Coco Magazine、ラジオ日本、Nikkei Voice
お問い合わせ、前売り券予約：ＥメールFFPV2009@yahoo.ca
電話(604)723-1649 (10時から5時)
Sunday, March 29, 2009
10 Principles of Peace Philosophy Centre
Peace Philosophy Centre
- facilitates learning for peace and sustainability.
- creates space for leadership and growth.
- encourages open dialogue and equal participation.
- invites diverse opinions.
- involves people with all backgrounds.
- promotes peace through arts.
- supports peace by peaceful means.
- believes world peace and personal peace are inseparable.
- networks with like-minded people around the world.
- holds love, respect, well-being, fun, and spirit as its core values.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
My guest lecture at Langara College
On Thursday March 26, I gave a talk in Dr. Nariko Takayanagi's class at Langara College as a guest lecturer. The topic was "Towards peace in Northeast Asia - Japanese people's initiatives." I covered a wide variety of topics and discussed how people, instead of governments, are working to create peace in Asia, including Article 9, peace museum movements (specifically those focused on Japanese atrocities in Asia like military sex slavery and Nanjing Massacre) that complement lack of modern history education in Japan, Japanese teachers' fight to resist growing nationalism in Japanese education, Mayors for Peace, an initiative by cities (not nations) for nuclear abolition, and various activities in Vancouver engaging different Asian communities. Here are some of the comments that I received:- I thought a majority of Japanese don't know or are not interested in Japan's atrocities due to its distorted history textbook. However, it was quite surprising to know many Japanese people actually work for peace of world and try to recover what Japan had done in the colonial period.
- Inspiring to know Vancouver has many opportunity to engage in peace toward NE Asia.
- I liked the information about the teachers who are punished for protesting the flag and national anthem.
- It was very informative, highlighting the contrast between gov't and civilian actions and opinion regarding Article 9.
- I think a lot of Japanese students must know the history correctly so that they have understanding how Korean/Chinese ancestors went through.
Thank you Nariko for inviting me to speak to your class. It was special to interact with so many young people who are eager to learn and to get involved.
Love,
Satoko
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Salon This Week
Peace Philosophy Salon
Theme of this week: Nanjing Massacre, December 1937 -
This week we will learn about Nanjing Massacre, in which hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians and POWs were brutally killed, raped and injured when Nanjing, then capital of China was invaded and conquered by the Japanese Army.
Date and Time: 7 PM - 10 PM, Saturday March 28
Place: Peace Philosophy Centre (email info@peacephilosophy.com for direction)
* We will host a pizza social from 6 PM. About $5 per person will be collected. You are welcome to bring drinks and snacks to share.
RSVP : to info@peacephilosophy.com by March 26. Let us known whether you are going to join us for pizza at 6 PM or not.
Nanjing Massacre is a controversial topic in Japan,which is under constant attack from right-wingers. If you search on the Internet in Japanese by keywords like Nanjing Incident or Nanjing Massacre, you will get loads of information that attempt to underestimate the scale of the crimes and even deny the occurrence of the crimes. Nanjing Massacre is a historical fact which has been documented, validated and researched by historians, journalists, and other experts of Japan, China, and around the world. There are numerous testimonials from the survivors and from the former Japanese soldiers who fought in Nanjing. I believe that the unspeakable scale and cruelty of those crimes cast dark shadows and deep guilt over the minds of many Japanese till now, which is reflected on their tendency to deny or underestimate the Massacre. It is in a way similar to the fact that many Americans want to believe that the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was just and necessary. We would like to invite you to learn about this chapter of history that we should never forget.
Satoko
Peace Philosophy Centre
Theme of this week: Nanjing Massacre, December 1937 -
This week we will learn about Nanjing Massacre, in which hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians and POWs were brutally killed, raped and injured when Nanjing, then capital of China was invaded and conquered by the Japanese Army.
Date and Time: 7 PM - 10 PM, Saturday March 28
Place: Peace Philosophy Centre (email info@peacephilosophy.com for direction)
* We will host a pizza social from 6 PM. About $5 per person will be collected. You are welcome to bring drinks and snacks to share.
RSVP : to info@peacephilosophy.com by March 26. Let us known whether you are going to join us for pizza at 6 PM or not.
Nanjing Massacre is a controversial topic in Japan,which is under constant attack from right-wingers. If you search on the Internet in Japanese by keywords like Nanjing Incident or Nanjing Massacre, you will get loads of information that attempt to underestimate the scale of the crimes and even deny the occurrence of the crimes. Nanjing Massacre is a historical fact which has been documented, validated and researched by historians, journalists, and other experts of Japan, China, and around the world. There are numerous testimonials from the survivors and from the former Japanese soldiers who fought in Nanjing. I believe that the unspeakable scale and cruelty of those crimes cast dark shadows and deep guilt over the minds of many Japanese till now, which is reflected on their tendency to deny or underestimate the Massacre. It is in a way similar to the fact that many Americans want to believe that the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was just and necessary. We would like to invite you to learn about this chapter of history that we should never forget.
Satoko
Peace Philosophy Centre
Monday, March 16, 2009
Report of Salon on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
We had another engaging event last Saturday at the Peace Philosophy Salon on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I am sure each of the films spoke different messages to the participants and I thank all of them for sharing their diverse opinions and views during the discussion. To me the story of Joe O'Donell family was very moving. Tyge O'Donell to me symbolized the new generation of the United States who started to take a different look at the country's past behaviours,inspired by his father's courageous act of disobedience. At one time it seemed like that Joe had his whole country and even his family against him, but at the end there were moving moments of reconciliation, like the letter that Ellen, Joe's estranged wife wrote to her son saying how proud she was of him. Iri and Maruki Toshi's work on the amazingly wide range of issues from Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Okinawa to Auschwitz, Nanjing and Minamata really spoke deeply to my mind about transcending perceived borders like nationalities, perpetrators and victims, and good and evil in quest for the ultimate nature of humanity, and world peace.
One of the issues discussed was age-appropriate material for peace education. One of the participants, who is an early childhood educator, expressed concerns over using graphic imagies to teach children horrors of war. When she read Toshi Maruki's book "Hiroshima no Pika," to her daughter, she was frightened and said she never wanted to go to Hiroshima. Two other college students who were at the event were Hiroshima City natives, and they both said they were frightened by some of the exhibits at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. You will see one of their comments below. Some of us argued that those graphical exhibits, like the wax figures of badly burnt A-bomb survivors walking with their skin dangling from their arms at the Hiroshima Museum, were not appropriate for children, and others argued that it was important for the visitors to learn and know the truth. One comment I made in response to that is that we should not expect the same materials to be equally effective in educating people of all ages. Perhaps the A-bomb museums can consider setting up a dedicated section for educating young children.
Here are comments by participants:
"I appreciate you point of view and agree that the first film, does symbolize the beginning of partial acceptance by the new generation of the United States. I think they should have clarified and shown the historical fact that the bombs were not used to save American lives and to end the war. The second film was very explicit and moving, and I feel it reaches out and touches many people, even though the graphic content upsets the average person. Then again we have that problem of what people will accept. I take the position that we must show the horrors inflicted upon humans by the use of nuclear weapons, whether it is done by word of mouth, by art, by reproductions of those wax figures, or by all the displays shown at the Hiroshima City and the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims." - D.L.
(Following up on this comment, I introduced an article by Peter Kuznick, history professor of American University in Washington, D.C., which addresses how Truman and other U.S. leaders then came to the decision to drop the bombs, demystifying the widely held perception that the bombs were used to end the war and that a million lives were saved because of the bombs.)
"My parents took me to the museum when I was 5 or 6 years old, and I remember everything I saw, heard, and felt was all about "terror". Everything there -pictures of injured and burned bodies of victims, burned clothing slightly stained with blood, victim's hairs and nails, watches stopped at 8:15, the completely devastated city, and the wax dolls- struck terror into me.
Then, when I got out off the museum, I remember I saw beautiful blue sky and gently shining green grass all around in the peace memorial park. There were little children who were chasing doves with cute smiles. I felt relieved and felt peace of mind. There was a peaceful world out there, in contrast to those dark, bloody, and frightening things I saw inside the museum.
However, I was still scared of what I saw that day. At that night, I prayed in my bed: "Please, God. please do not let anyone to drop PikaDon when everyone is sleeping". (I do not belong to any religion by the way.) I could not sleep. I was so afraid of falling in asleep. If I closed my eyes,I pictured the "hell" I saw in the museum.
Based on this experience , I imagine that if I was not born and raised in Hiroshima, I would not want to visit the museum ever again. However, since I grew up in Hiroshima and I had "peace education" every summer (elementary school to high school), visiting the museum and listening to survivors' stories became my annual ritual.
Also, when I was 10 years old or so, my grandmother told me that she held"atomic bomb survivor's certificate", and she told me about what she saw and experienced as a nurse when she was taking care of the victims. Everything she told me was quite shocking as well, but since she is my grandmother, I felt the history as something much closer to me.
Even when I did not know details of history, I took "peace education" for granted to have, and I think the experience of growing up in Hiroshima has influenced me a lot, in a way that it made me to have questioned myself,"what is world peace?", "what can we do to prevent wars?" "how can we keep the promise we made to the victims of atomic bombings？（安らかにお眠りください。過ちは繰り返しませんから）", so many times during my childhood and adolescence....and still I do.
Then, I have learned and felt a lot from the film about Iri and MarukiToshi, and the film reminded me one thing: it is very important for each of us to be aware of that our perspectives tend to be fixed and biased to some extent. I believe that only by challenging our consciousness and perspectives simultaneously, we can step forward. It was a very encouraging film, and I found it very beautiful as well.
In the book "Change the world without taking power" I am reading right now,the author (John Holloway) says that "The first step in struggling against invisibility is to turn the world upside down, to think from the perspective of struggle, to take sides".....This quote just popped up when I saw how they have brought the sensation around the world.... " - S.H.
The following comment is in Japanese.
"核というものこの世界から廃絶するために何年かかるのでしょう？“解かれた封印”の男の子が赤ちゃんを背中におんぶしながら唇をかみ締める写真には心を強く揺さぶられます。そして、丸木夫妻の深い絵にこめられたメッセージにも。戦争の悲惨さをアートとして残していくことへの使命感を持った、丸木夫妻の生き方にも感慨を受けました。丸木夫妻が持っていた怒りの感情がもっともっと広い意味で平和を訴える力になっていくことになる様子、彼らの芸術活動とともにそれを追求していく行き方、人生の旅を続けたかをかい間見れたことに感謝します。
絵や写真のメッセージをどう受け止めるかは、個人個人の持つ情報や心の状態で随分変わってくるのでしょう。そして、子どもたちがそれをどう受け止めるかについても話し合いがでました。幼すぎる子どもたちに真実をどのように伝えていくかは課題です。でも、恐怖を小さな子どもたちの心に植えつけていくことは反対です。核を、戦争をこの世から無くしていくために教育がどれだけ重大な位置をもっているか確認できた時間でもあったように思います。そんな話が、サロンの人たちと話が出来たこと、うれしく思っています。" - S. I.
The next salon will be on Saturday, March 28th. See you there again!
Love and peace,
Satoko
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Salon This Week: Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Peace Philosophy Salon
"Hiroshima and Nagasaki - Journey of the Heart"
This week we will learn about Iri and Toshi Maruki, two artists who produced numerous art work on the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and its victims. One of Toshi Maruki's well-known works is "Hiroshima No Pika," a children's book that has been translated into many languages and can be easily found in local and school libraries. We will also focus on Joe O'Donnell, this military photographer who secretly took private photos of the horrific aftermath of Nagasaki atomic-bombing, which he disclosed 43 years later.
Date and Time: 7 PM - 10 PM, Saturday March 14
Place: Peace Philosophy Centre (email info@peacephilosophy.com for direction)
* We will host a pizza social from 6 PM. About $5 per person will be collected. You are welcome to bring drinks and snacks to share.
* This is a bilingual (Japanese and English) event. Translation is available.
RSVP : to info@peacephilosophy.com by March 13. Let us knowwhether you are going to join us for pizza at 6 PM or not.
We hope to see many of you there!
Satoko
Peace Philosophy Centre
"Hiroshima and Nagasaki - Journey of the Heart"
This week we will learn about Iri and Toshi Maruki, two artists who produced numerous art work on the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and its victims. One of Toshi Maruki's well-known works is "Hiroshima No Pika," a children's book that has been translated into many languages and can be easily found in local and school libraries. We will also focus on Joe O'Donnell, this military photographer who secretly took private photos of the horrific aftermath of Nagasaki atomic-bombing, which he disclosed 43 years later.
Date and Time: 7 PM - 10 PM, Saturday March 14
Place: Peace Philosophy Centre (email info@peacephilosophy.com for direction)
* We will host a pizza social from 6 PM. About $5 per person will be collected. You are welcome to bring drinks and snacks to share.
* This is a bilingual (Japanese and English) event. Translation is available.
RSVP : to info@peacephilosophy.com by March 13. Let us knowwhether you are going to join us for pizza at 6 PM or not.
We hope to see many of you there!
Satoko
Peace Philosophy Centre
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Spring Event of Vancouver Save Article 9
Vancouver Save Article 9 will present -
A Special Spring Event
"My Experience of War, and What It Means To Me"
We will have a panel of about 10 people from all walks of life who will share their precious stories during the war and post-war periods, and how the experience impacted their life then and now. The panel presentation will be followed by a discussion and a tea party.
Time and Date: 1-3:30 PM, Saturday, March 21, 2009
Place: Vancouver Japanese Language School
475 & 487 Alexander St. Vancouver BC V6A 1C6
Free admission. Donations are welcome.
Inquiries: Masa Kagami 604-688-7652 or Satoko Norimatsu info@peacephilosophy.com
* Satoko will be moderating "My Experience of War" session.
バンクーバー９条の会（ＶＳＡ９）よりイベントのお知らせ
３月２１日(土）午後１時から３時半まで、バンクーバー日本語学校にて、
「戦争、戦後体験を語り、聴く」
を開きます。バンクーバー９条の活動の紹介の後、当地バンクーバーで日本国憲法９条の擁護や国際的な平和活動に取り組む人達が、どのような戦争体験、戦後体験等を経て自ら平和運動に関わるようになったのかについて、その思い、心境等を語ります。その後、討論、懇親会を開きます。是非御参加下さい。入場無料。寄付歓迎。お問合せは：（６０４）－６８８－７６５２ Masa Kagami か info@peacephilosophy.com Ｓａｔｏｋｏまで
A Special Spring Event
"My Experience of War, and What It Means To Me"
We will have a panel of about 10 people from all walks of life who will share their precious stories during the war and post-war periods, and how the experience impacted their life then and now. The panel presentation will be followed by a discussion and a tea party.
Time and Date: 1-3:30 PM, Saturday, March 21, 2009
Place: Vancouver Japanese Language School
475 & 487 Alexander St. Vancouver BC V6A 1C6
Free admission. Donations are welcome.
Inquiries: Masa Kagami 604-688-7652 or Satoko Norimatsu info@peacephilosophy.com
* Satoko will be moderating "My Experience of War" session.
バンクーバー９条の会（ＶＳＡ９）よりイベントのお知らせ
３月２１日(土）午後１時から３時半まで、バンクーバー日本語学校にて、
「戦争、戦後体験を語り、聴く」
を開きます。バンクーバー９条の活動の紹介の後、当地バンクーバーで日本国憲法９条の擁護や国際的な平和活動に取り組む人達が、どのような戦争体験、戦後体験等を経て自ら平和運動に関わるようになったのかについて、その思い、心境等を語ります。その後、討論、懇親会を開きます。是非御参加下さい。入場無料。寄付歓迎。お問合せは：（６０４）－６８８－７６５２ Masa Kagami か info@peacephilosophy.com Ｓａｔｏｋｏまで
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
My Article in Nikkei Voice March 2009
The following is my article in Japanese from the March 2009 edition of Nikkei Voice. 「日系ボイス」２００９年３月号掲載の拙文です。０８年末、０９年２月号の投稿を受けての記事ですので、それらの記事は下記リンクをご覧ください。
篠原「日本の現代史と海外に暮らす子供たち」（年末号）、「親と教育者はどう対処すべきか」（二月号）
「日系ボイス」紙上で過去二号に亘り、カナダで育つ日系の子どもが学校で「日本人はキライ」といった発言をされたことについての紙上ディスカッションがなされている。二つの投稿記事を読んで、私なりの意見を述べたい。
読んでまず率直に抱いた疑問は、「そのような発言、社会現象として論ずるほど頻繁にあることなのか？」ということだった。 一二年間バンクーバーに住んで、大学で中国人や韓国人に異文化交流を教え、アジア系がたくさん住む町で子育てをし、子どもの学校の活動にも参加してきたが、そういった経験はほとんどなかった。
私は平和教育や活動に携わっている関係上、敢えて歴史認識問題を学生や、子どもの友人の親たち（中国や韓国系）に提示することが多い。そういうとき、むしろ「今の日本人を悪く言ってはいけない」、「政府の方針と一般市民を一緒にしてはいけない」、といった冷静なコメントを聞くことのほうが圧倒的に多い。逆に当地の日本人側から「中国人や韓国人は昔のことで恨みつらみばかり言う」とか「日本軍慰安婦問題を扱うことは日本人への嫌がらせ」といった客観性を欠く発言を聞くことは決して少なくない。
しかし、これは私の個人的な経験であって、データを取っているわけではないので、カナダの教育現場ではそんな発言はほとんどないと断言もできない。たとえ滅多に起こらないことでも起こったときにどう対処するかを論じるのは意味がある。
私が提起したいことは、「日本人はキライ」発言を、いじめや人種差別発言と解釈するのは正当ではあると思うが、そこで思考を停止してはいけないという点である。私のユダヤ系の友人は親戚をナチのホロコーストで多数失っている。その人は自分の両親や自分自身は直接の被害者ではないにも関わらず、未だにドイツの地に足を踏み入れることはできない。心理的抵抗感があるのである。ドイツ政府や市民は歴史を直視し反省していると頭ではわかっていても、心の中に民族、親戚の痛みや苦しみを継承しているのであるこの人の態度を、一概に「ドイツ差別」と一蹴できるだろうか。ユダヤ人がたどった歴史を考えると、この人の感情はまず「解釈する」ことよりも、「理解する」ことが大事なのではないだろうか。「日本人キライ」発言も、それが差別発言だとかイジメだとか解釈すると同時に、こういった発言がどういう背景から来ているのかを考察することをしなければ表層的な理解に留まってしまうだろう。
私は、歴史的事象の理解には「横割り」の理解と「縦割り」の視点の両方が必要だと考えている。例えば憲法九条の改変の議論にしても、日本は普通に軍事力を持つ国になるべきだとか、中国や北朝鮮の脅威があるといったといった現在、つまり横割りの見方だけでは足りない。九条は日本の戦争が何千万もの命の犠牲をもたらした末に国際的信用を回復するために持った条項であること、といった縦割りの歴史的側面にも目を向けて議論する必要がある。
「日本人キライ」発言の議論に戻ると、その発言自体に差別や疎外の要素があることの認識と同時に、それを発言した子の家族や親戚が日本軍からの被害を受けたのではないか、直接の被害ではなくても、日本軍に踏みにじられた国や地域、民族の痛みを引き継いでいるのではないかという想像力が直ちに働くような感受性を、指導する教師が持っていることは不可欠である。そういった歴史的な感受性を持って対処するのとそうでないのとでは、その出来事からどう学び、言われた方、言った方双方にどのような教育的効果をもたらすかに大きな違いを生むだろう。
◆二つの聖地
「感受性」などと偉そうなことを言って自分にあたかもその感受性が備わっているかと言ったらそんなことは全然ない。昨年一〇月、平和博物館会議で広島に行った際に韓国の平和運動家、金英丸（キム・ヨンファン）さんと平和公園を歩いていて指摘されたことがあった。「原爆慰霊碑の横のあの巨大な日の丸、知ってた？」いや、知らなかった。毎年平和学習の旅で広島を訪れていたのに、気付いていなかった。これは、護国神社（靖国神社の地方版のような存在）にも国旗掲揚台を作ったような「広島県日の丸会本部」という団体が和天皇の誕生日に寄贈したものだった。
在日コリアンで社会学者の姜尚中（カン・サンジュン）は、『ヤスクニとむきあう』（めこん、二〇〇六年）の第二章『靖国とヒロシマーふたつの聖地』で、原爆は人類の罪と位置づけ、ヒロシマは国際的な意味を持つ平和の聖地である一方、靖国は天皇の戦争を聖戦と考える、日本国内でしか通用しない戦争の記憶の場所であると述べる。その上で、「戦後、日本政府および日本人はこの二つを、聖地として、並列して、矛盾しているという意識すらなく、受け入れてきた」と指摘する。原爆慰霊碑と仲良く並び翻っている巨大な日の丸に、この矛盾の象徴を見た。そして、何よりもショックだったのは、韓国の友人に指摘されるまで自分はこの日の丸の存在にさえ気づかなかったことだ。
多くの人、特にアジアの隣人たちにとって日本の侵略戦争の象徴と見られる日の丸の旗が金さんには見えていたが自分には見えていなかった。この「見えていなさ」が一番怖いものなのだ。見えていないものは見えていないということにさえ気づかない。それに気づくには、見えている人たちの声に耳を傾けるしかないのだ。
「日本人キライ」という発言の中にも、多くの日本人に何「見えていない」ものがあるのではないか。日本では戦時中の日本軍の加害行為について教えられることは少ないが、私たち日系カナダ市民は、「知らない」では済まされない。いや日本にいる日本人だって「習っていない」では済まされないのだ。歴史を学び、日本軍の暴力の被害者の声に耳を傾け続ける必要がある。「日本人キライ」と言われた日系人の気持ちだけ考慮するのなら、問題の半分しか扱っていないことになろう。
篠原「日本の現代史と海外に暮らす子供たち」（年末号）、「親と教育者はどう対処すべきか」（二月号）
歴史に対する感受性養い 縦と横の理解が必要
乗松聡子●バンクーバー
「日系ボイス」紙上で過去二号に亘り、カナダで育つ日系の子どもが学校で「日本人はキライ」といった発言をされたことについての紙上ディスカッションがなされている。二つの投稿記事を読んで、私なりの意見を述べたい。
読んでまず率直に抱いた疑問は、「そのような発言、社会現象として論ずるほど頻繁にあることなのか？」ということだった。 一二年間バンクーバーに住んで、大学で中国人や韓国人に異文化交流を教え、アジア系がたくさん住む町で子育てをし、子どもの学校の活動にも参加してきたが、そういった経験はほとんどなかった。
私は平和教育や活動に携わっている関係上、敢えて歴史認識問題を学生や、子どもの友人の親たち（中国や韓国系）に提示することが多い。そういうとき、むしろ「今の日本人を悪く言ってはいけない」、「政府の方針と一般市民を一緒にしてはいけない」、といった冷静なコメントを聞くことのほうが圧倒的に多い。逆に当地の日本人側から「中国人や韓国人は昔のことで恨みつらみばかり言う」とか「日本軍慰安婦問題を扱うことは日本人への嫌がらせ」といった客観性を欠く発言を聞くことは決して少なくない。
しかし、これは私の個人的な経験であって、データを取っているわけではないので、カナダの教育現場ではそんな発言はほとんどないと断言もできない。たとえ滅多に起こらないことでも起こったときにどう対処するかを論じるのは意味がある。
私が提起したいことは、「日本人はキライ」発言を、いじめや人種差別発言と解釈するのは正当ではあると思うが、そこで思考を停止してはいけないという点である。私のユダヤ系の友人は親戚をナチのホロコーストで多数失っている。その人は自分の両親や自分自身は直接の被害者ではないにも関わらず、未だにドイツの地に足を踏み入れることはできない。心理的抵抗感があるのである。ドイツ政府や市民は歴史を直視し反省していると頭ではわかっていても、心の中に民族、親戚の痛みや苦しみを継承しているのであるこの人の態度を、一概に「ドイツ差別」と一蹴できるだろうか。ユダヤ人がたどった歴史を考えると、この人の感情はまず「解釈する」ことよりも、「理解する」ことが大事なのではないだろうか。「日本人キライ」発言も、それが差別発言だとかイジメだとか解釈すると同時に、こういった発言がどういう背景から来ているのかを考察することをしなければ表層的な理解に留まってしまうだろう。
私は、歴史的事象の理解には「横割り」の理解と「縦割り」の視点の両方が必要だと考えている。例えば憲法九条の改変の議論にしても、日本は普通に軍事力を持つ国になるべきだとか、中国や北朝鮮の脅威があるといったといった現在、つまり横割りの見方だけでは足りない。九条は日本の戦争が何千万もの命の犠牲をもたらした末に国際的信用を回復するために持った条項であること、といった縦割りの歴史的側面にも目を向けて議論する必要がある。
「日本人キライ」発言の議論に戻ると、その発言自体に差別や疎外の要素があることの認識と同時に、それを発言した子の家族や親戚が日本軍からの被害を受けたのではないか、直接の被害ではなくても、日本軍に踏みにじられた国や地域、民族の痛みを引き継いでいるのではないかという想像力が直ちに働くような感受性を、指導する教師が持っていることは不可欠である。そういった歴史的な感受性を持って対処するのとそうでないのとでは、その出来事からどう学び、言われた方、言った方双方にどのような教育的効果をもたらすかに大きな違いを生むだろう。
◆二つの聖地
「感受性」などと偉そうなことを言って自分にあたかもその感受性が備わっているかと言ったらそんなことは全然ない。昨年一〇月、平和博物館会議で広島に行った際に韓国の平和運動家、金英丸（キム・ヨンファン）さんと平和公園を歩いていて指摘されたことがあった。「原爆慰霊碑の横のあの巨大な日の丸、知ってた？」いや、知らなかった。毎年平和学習の旅で広島を訪れていたのに、気付いていなかった。これは、護国神社（靖国神社の地方版のような存在）にも国旗掲揚台を作ったような「広島県日の丸会本部」という団体が和天皇の誕生日に寄贈したものだった。
在日コリアンで社会学者の姜尚中（カン・サンジュン）は、『ヤスクニとむきあう』（めこん、二〇〇六年）の第二章『靖国とヒロシマーふたつの聖地』で、原爆は人類の罪と位置づけ、ヒロシマは国際的な意味を持つ平和の聖地である一方、靖国は天皇の戦争を聖戦と考える、日本国内でしか通用しない戦争の記憶の場所であると述べる。その上で、「戦後、日本政府および日本人はこの二つを、聖地として、並列して、矛盾しているという意識すらなく、受け入れてきた」と指摘する。原爆慰霊碑と仲良く並び翻っている巨大な日の丸に、この矛盾の象徴を見た。そして、何よりもショックだったのは、韓国の友人に指摘されるまで自分はこの日の丸の存在にさえ気づかなかったことだ。
多くの人、特にアジアの隣人たちにとって日本の侵略戦争の象徴と見られる日の丸の旗が金さんには見えていたが自分には見えていなかった。この「見えていなさ」が一番怖いものなのだ。見えていないものは見えていないということにさえ気づかない。それに気づくには、見えている人たちの声に耳を傾けるしかないのだ。
「日本人キライ」という発言の中にも、多くの日本人に何「見えていない」ものがあるのではないか。日本では戦時中の日本軍の加害行為について教えられることは少ないが、私たち日系カナダ市民は、「知らない」では済まされない。いや日本にいる日本人だって「習っていない」では済まされないのだ。歴史を学び、日本軍の暴力の被害者の声に耳を傾け続ける必要がある。「日本人キライ」と言われた日系人の気持ちだけ考慮するのなら、問題の半分しか扱っていないことになろう。
Sharon Isaac's Article in Nikkei Voice
This is Sharon Isaac's Article in the February 2009 Edition of Nikkei Voice, in response to Chiemi Shinohara's article from the previous month. I have written an article on the issue in the March Edition.
本紙一二・一月合併号掲載「日本の現代史と海外に暮らす子供たち」を読んで
「日本人はキライ」発言に、親と教育者はどう対処すべきか
シャロン・アイザック トロント
「歴史は繰り返す」とよくいわれる。これは人が歴史を学ぼうとしないことへの警鐘であり、たとえ歴史を学んでも、そこから教訓を汲み取ろうとしないこ とへの警告でもあろうか。バーバラ・コロロソ（Barbara Coloroso）は、その著「Extraordinary Evil: A Brief History of Genocide」（「異常な邪悪―民族抹殺計画の略歴」） で学校の中で起こる「いじめ」と民族抹殺の構図は全く同じであることを示し、その巻頭でホロコースト生存者の一人ハイム・ギノット（Chaim Ginott ）の言葉を引用している。「私は何人も目撃すべきでないものを見てしまった。経験豊かな技術者によって製造されたガス室、高い教育を受けた医者に毒殺された子供たち、熟練看護婦 に殺される乳児、高校や大学を卒業した人間たちに撃ち殺され埋められる女、赤子たち。だから、私は教育に疑いを持つ。」 世界の状況に照らすと、 空しく切羽詰った危機感を感じざるを得ない。 篠原さんの投稿記事を大変興味深く読ませていただいた。篠原さんは大人の責任、ことに親としての責任に焦点を当てて書いている。そこから少し視点をず らして、過去一八年間、教育現場で子供たち、親たち、教師たちと一緒に考えさせられてきたことを少し述べたいと思う。 「日 本人はキライ」コメントに対して、理不尽であると感じながらも何となく後ろめたく、堂々と振舞えないというような心理状態は、健全ではない。篠原さんの 言われる、歴史的事実を踏まえた理性的な理解に立った反応はもちろん大切であり、家庭という一つの共同体から、少し広がった学校という小社会でも、歴史 を学び、歴史から学び、過去、現在、未来を洞察するというプロセスが必要である。
●情操教育と歴史洞察力
そのプロセスを導くのは、親であり、また教師であるべきだというのは共感するが、人の行動は知的処理のみで片付けられない。感情によって左右されるの である。裏を返すと、教育というのは、知が心に結びつかなければ意味をなさない。情操教育と歴史的洞察とはどう関わっていけばいいのかが問われるのであ る。 まず、親としては、自分の子供が「日本人はキライ」コメントに対してその場でどういう反応を示すかということに関心があろう。親子の対話の中で、自分 が子供にどういう対応をしてほしいか、また、自分だったらどう対応するかというところから始まり、またそこに帰結するだろうと思う。どんな境遇にあって も人としての尊厳を失わないための道はあるのか。 それを問い続けることで見えてくるものもある。親として、教育者として学校運営にかかわってきたが、どんな小さな学校でも年を重ねるうちに、集団の中 では様々なことが起きてくるものだ。 数年前の八年生のクラスだった。何かと問題の多いグループであったが、中でもどうも他の生徒たちから仲間はずれにされたり、うまく溶け込めない生徒と 転入生の間で 数ヶ月のいがみあいが続いた。挙句の果て、ある日、暴力事件に発展した。事情はどうあれ人を傷つけると刑事犯として警察の介入にまで発展 する 可能性も十分ある。 「そうなったら、学校側は君たちを守ることができなくなる。こんなつまらないことで、君たちの人生に傷がつくことになってしまったらどうする」云々と 事の重大性をわかってもらおうと精一杯脅かしたつもりであった。 クラス全員を個別とグループで事情徴収するなかで、一人の傍観者にいき当たった。その男子生徒いわく「あの二人がああなるのは分かっていたんだ。取っ 組み合いになりそうな気配がしたから、ぼくはさっさとその場を離れたんだ」。 この生徒の冷然として優越感がただようような雰囲気に一瞬愕然としたが、クラスメートとしての「最小限の義務」を説こうと試みた。この生徒は両親の独 断で私立の学校に入れられたこともあってか、「権力」に対する反抗の塊のようで、反応がつかみにくい。（自己の義務責任についてはグループ全体のディス カッ ションに及ぶことになるわけだが、大抵こういうとき前向きに参加するのは、十分に責任感の強い生徒たちである。）
●「いじめ」と「無関心」
ところで、「いじめ」の問題に向き合う時いつも感じさせられたのは、自分は関係ない、自分は関わりたくない、関われば自分が槍玉になる、親からもそう 言われていると いう「無関心」の態度が支配的になりがちだということである。 一方、当事者たちは、彼が先にやった、彼が僕にやらせた、彼もやった、という三つの言い訳の パターンで始まるのが常である。それを、自分がその時やるべきことは何だったか、次の時はどうしたらいいか、つまり他ではなくどんな場合でも自分にでき る ことは何かを直接当事者同士から出発し全員に考えてもらい、そして謝罪、うまくいくと和解とこぎつけるには、必要なだけ時間をかけた第三者の介入を要す る。 子供と親（直接間接の当事者） 担任の教師＝指導者（親代わり） 管理職＝脇役（全体のサポート） この三つのベクトル が対立したり、協力し合ったり、ぶつかり合い 、なにがしら血となり肉となる教訓が得られ、少しづつ心が鍛えられていく。ここにあるのはミクロの国際紛争であり、その葛藤のプロセスなのである。それ はトロントという多文化多民族社会に与えられたユニークな教育現場の一面といえるかもしれない。 「日本人は、キライ」コメントに対する後ろめ たさというのは、放っておくと人の心を蝕み、どこかで必ず害を生み出す原因となるので注意を要する。卑屈になったり、罪を一人背負い込むべきではない し、かといって過去の歴史は自分には関係がなく、自分は何もしてないだけで済ませるべきではない。 日本を祖国に持つ日本人として、日系カナダ人として、今を生きる国際人、また人として誇りを持って生きるにはどう心すべきか。これは、一人一人に与えら れた課題であり、誰から与えられるものではない。国や政府や宗教や権力者は言うまでもなく他から与えられるものではない。自由と平和が何もしないで、無 償で得られるものではないように、問い続ければ必ず答えが見えてくるはずである。
●過去を直視する姿勢
自分は関係なくても事件の中に放り込まれるかもしれない。自分が何もしなくても殺されるかもしれない。親子代々国を追われるかもしれない。 歴史は殺戮の繰り返しであった。今、われわれが生きる社会の一角に繁栄、平和、自由があるならば、それは多くの犠牲の上にかろうじて立っているもので あり、それが継続される保証はどこにもないし、その中で生きていくに似合った意識革命がなされることが必至である。 そして、歴史は繁栄、平和、自由を守るために「第三者」にしかできないことが多々あることもわれわれに教えるはずである。どんな社会を継続していきた いのか、そのために今、こ こで自分にできることは何かという問いへの答えを行動に移していくことが人間としての尊厳を持って生きるための条件である。 私自身は、この歳になっても日本国が過去犯したといわれる「罪」の詳細を未だ学んでいない。近い将来その出会いがあるかもしれない。その私があえて愛 する祖国日本へ伝えたい想いは、国の歴史は世代ごとに洞察、内省、教訓を繰り返し育つものだということである。歴史の教訓を次世代への指針とするなら ば、歴史教育の過程を自らの手で、自らのためにその全てとまっすぐに立ち向かう覚悟で望んで欲しいということである。 日本が過去植民地化をかろうじて逃れてこられたのも、明治維新という世界史に類を見ない「無血革命」を成し遂げられのも、その裏にはそれらを必死で支 えた多大の犠牲があった。その影の力が浮かび上がってくるのを目の当たりにする今の日本には、その力があると確信する一人である。 人間同様に、民族国家も尊厳なしでは生きられない。そして尊厳と謙虚は、人-民族-国家が持つべき両面である。これは、過去十八年生徒たちのミニ国際 紛争の中で私自身が生徒や親、教師と一緒に考え学んで得た教訓である。
＊投稿者のシャロン・アイザック氏は、日本で生まれ一六歳の時にカナダに移住してきた。日本語教員、私立学校副校長として長く教育現場にいた。
（編集部）「日本の現代史と海外で暮らす子供たち」に関する意見を募集します。「日本人はキライ」は明らかに人種差別発言ですが、教育現場では「何故キ ライか」を問いかけることも大切です。一方、「日本の現代史」は、未解決の戦争責任問題、米軍による広島・長崎の被爆者問題等、加害と被害の両面があ り、何をどう教えるかが教育者には大きな課題です。「過去を直視する」視点をお聞かせください。
本紙一二・一月合併号掲載「日本の現代史と海外に暮らす子供たち」を読んで
「日本人はキライ」発言に、親と教育者はどう対処すべきか
シャロン・アイザック トロント
「歴史は繰り返す」とよくいわれる。これは人が歴史を学ぼうとしないことへの警鐘であり、たとえ歴史を学んでも、そこから教訓を汲み取ろうとしないこ とへの警告でもあろうか。バーバラ・コロロソ（Barbara Coloroso）は、その著「Extraordinary Evil: A Brief History of Genocide」（「異常な邪悪―民族抹殺計画の略歴」） で学校の中で起こる「いじめ」と民族抹殺の構図は全く同じであることを示し、その巻頭でホロコースト生存者の一人ハイム・ギノット（Chaim Ginott ）の言葉を引用している。「私は何人も目撃すべきでないものを見てしまった。経験豊かな技術者によって製造されたガス室、高い教育を受けた医者に毒殺された子供たち、熟練看護婦 に殺される乳児、高校や大学を卒業した人間たちに撃ち殺され埋められる女、赤子たち。だから、私は教育に疑いを持つ。」 世界の状況に照らすと、 空しく切羽詰った危機感を感じざるを得ない。 篠原さんの投稿記事を大変興味深く読ませていただいた。篠原さんは大人の責任、ことに親としての責任に焦点を当てて書いている。そこから少し視点をず らして、過去一八年間、教育現場で子供たち、親たち、教師たちと一緒に考えさせられてきたことを少し述べたいと思う。 「日 本人はキライ」コメントに対して、理不尽であると感じながらも何となく後ろめたく、堂々と振舞えないというような心理状態は、健全ではない。篠原さんの 言われる、歴史的事実を踏まえた理性的な理解に立った反応はもちろん大切であり、家庭という一つの共同体から、少し広がった学校という小社会でも、歴史 を学び、歴史から学び、過去、現在、未来を洞察するというプロセスが必要である。
●情操教育と歴史洞察力
そのプロセスを導くのは、親であり、また教師であるべきだというのは共感するが、人の行動は知的処理のみで片付けられない。感情によって左右されるの である。裏を返すと、教育というのは、知が心に結びつかなければ意味をなさない。情操教育と歴史的洞察とはどう関わっていけばいいのかが問われるのであ る。 まず、親としては、自分の子供が「日本人はキライ」コメントに対してその場でどういう反応を示すかということに関心があろう。親子の対話の中で、自分 が子供にどういう対応をしてほしいか、また、自分だったらどう対応するかというところから始まり、またそこに帰結するだろうと思う。どんな境遇にあって も人としての尊厳を失わないための道はあるのか。 それを問い続けることで見えてくるものもある。親として、教育者として学校運営にかかわってきたが、どんな小さな学校でも年を重ねるうちに、集団の中 では様々なことが起きてくるものだ。 数年前の八年生のクラスだった。何かと問題の多いグループであったが、中でもどうも他の生徒たちから仲間はずれにされたり、うまく溶け込めない生徒と 転入生の間で 数ヶ月のいがみあいが続いた。挙句の果て、ある日、暴力事件に発展した。事情はどうあれ人を傷つけると刑事犯として警察の介入にまで発展 する 可能性も十分ある。 「そうなったら、学校側は君たちを守ることができなくなる。こんなつまらないことで、君たちの人生に傷がつくことになってしまったらどうする」云々と 事の重大性をわかってもらおうと精一杯脅かしたつもりであった。 クラス全員を個別とグループで事情徴収するなかで、一人の傍観者にいき当たった。その男子生徒いわく「あの二人がああなるのは分かっていたんだ。取っ 組み合いになりそうな気配がしたから、ぼくはさっさとその場を離れたんだ」。 この生徒の冷然として優越感がただようような雰囲気に一瞬愕然としたが、クラスメートとしての「最小限の義務」を説こうと試みた。この生徒は両親の独 断で私立の学校に入れられたこともあってか、「権力」に対する反抗の塊のようで、反応がつかみにくい。（自己の義務責任についてはグループ全体のディス カッ ションに及ぶことになるわけだが、大抵こういうとき前向きに参加するのは、十分に責任感の強い生徒たちである。）
●「いじめ」と「無関心」
ところで、「いじめ」の問題に向き合う時いつも感じさせられたのは、自分は関係ない、自分は関わりたくない、関われば自分が槍玉になる、親からもそう 言われていると いう「無関心」の態度が支配的になりがちだということである。 一方、当事者たちは、彼が先にやった、彼が僕にやらせた、彼もやった、という三つの言い訳の パターンで始まるのが常である。それを、自分がその時やるべきことは何だったか、次の時はどうしたらいいか、つまり他ではなくどんな場合でも自分にでき る ことは何かを直接当事者同士から出発し全員に考えてもらい、そして謝罪、うまくいくと和解とこぎつけるには、必要なだけ時間をかけた第三者の介入を要す る。 子供と親（直接間接の当事者） 担任の教師＝指導者（親代わり） 管理職＝脇役（全体のサポート） この三つのベクトル が対立したり、協力し合ったり、ぶつかり合い 、なにがしら血となり肉となる教訓が得られ、少しづつ心が鍛えられていく。ここにあるのはミクロの国際紛争であり、その葛藤のプロセスなのである。それ はトロントという多文化多民族社会に与えられたユニークな教育現場の一面といえるかもしれない。 「日本人は、キライ」コメントに対する後ろめ たさというのは、放っておくと人の心を蝕み、どこかで必ず害を生み出す原因となるので注意を要する。卑屈になったり、罪を一人背負い込むべきではない し、かといって過去の歴史は自分には関係がなく、自分は何もしてないだけで済ませるべきではない。 日本を祖国に持つ日本人として、日系カナダ人として、今を生きる国際人、また人として誇りを持って生きるにはどう心すべきか。これは、一人一人に与えら れた課題であり、誰から与えられるものではない。国や政府や宗教や権力者は言うまでもなく他から与えられるものではない。自由と平和が何もしないで、無 償で得られるものではないように、問い続ければ必ず答えが見えてくるはずである。
●過去を直視する姿勢
自分は関係なくても事件の中に放り込まれるかもしれない。自分が何もしなくても殺されるかもしれない。親子代々国を追われるかもしれない。 歴史は殺戮の繰り返しであった。今、われわれが生きる社会の一角に繁栄、平和、自由があるならば、それは多くの犠牲の上にかろうじて立っているもので あり、それが継続される保証はどこにもないし、その中で生きていくに似合った意識革命がなされることが必至である。 そして、歴史は繁栄、平和、自由を守るために「第三者」にしかできないことが多々あることもわれわれに教えるはずである。どんな社会を継続していきた いのか、そのために今、こ こで自分にできることは何かという問いへの答えを行動に移していくことが人間としての尊厳を持って生きるための条件である。 私自身は、この歳になっても日本国が過去犯したといわれる「罪」の詳細を未だ学んでいない。近い将来その出会いがあるかもしれない。その私があえて愛 する祖国日本へ伝えたい想いは、国の歴史は世代ごとに洞察、内省、教訓を繰り返し育つものだということである。歴史の教訓を次世代への指針とするなら ば、歴史教育の過程を自らの手で、自らのためにその全てとまっすぐに立ち向かう覚悟で望んで欲しいということである。 日本が過去植民地化をかろうじて逃れてこられたのも、明治維新という世界史に類を見ない「無血革命」を成し遂げられのも、その裏にはそれらを必死で支 えた多大の犠牲があった。その影の力が浮かび上がってくるのを目の当たりにする今の日本には、その力があると確信する一人である。 人間同様に、民族国家も尊厳なしでは生きられない。そして尊厳と謙虚は、人-民族-国家が持つべき両面である。これは、過去十八年生徒たちのミニ国際 紛争の中で私自身が生徒や親、教師と一緒に考え学んで得た教訓である。
＊投稿者のシャロン・アイザック氏は、日本で生まれ一六歳の時にカナダに移住してきた。日本語教員、私立学校副校長として長く教育現場にいた。
（編集部）「日本の現代史と海外で暮らす子供たち」に関する意見を募集します。「日本人はキライ」は明らかに人種差別発言ですが、教育現場では「何故キ ライか」を問いかけることも大切です。一方、「日本の現代史」は、未解決の戦争責任問題、米軍による広島・長崎の被爆者問題等、加害と被害の両面があ り、何をどう教えるかが教育者には大きな課題です。「過去を直視する」視点をお聞かせください。
Nikkei Voice Article by Chiemi Shinohara
This is a Nikkei Voice article by Chiemi Shinohara in the December 2008/January 2009 Edition of Nikkei Voice. I have written an article in response to this article in the March Edition.
トロントの日本人学校で中学生レベルを教えていた時、生徒がクラスのなかで不意に発したり、書かせた作文に現われる同一のエピソードがあった。「現地 校（カナダの学校）で同級生から、過去にアジアでひどいことをした日本人は嫌いだから君とは口をきかない、と言われた」というものである。それを語る 時、子どもたちは困惑し、悲しいような、怒ったような複雑な表情をみせた。 その話題が授業やホームルームで持ち上がる度、同じような経験がある人はいるかと尋ねた。すると、半分ほどが手を挙げたが、その挙手の仕方がまるで自 分が悪いことをしたかのようで、手をあげずにいる生徒の中にも同じような経験をしている者がいるのだろうと思わずにはいられなかった。その度に、まだ幼 い表情の彼らが感じたであろう痛みを思い、胸が痛んだ。 カナダの学校に通う日本人の生徒（日本生まれ、カナダ生まれを問わず）の中に、こうした苦い経験をする子どもたちが少なからずいることに、私たち大人 は敏感である必要がある。 更にいうと、こうした経験に対し、どう反応したらよいのかを考えさせることは、彼らを守るべき立場にいる私たち大人の義務だと思う。「日本人はキラ イ」コメントを耳にしたとき、子どもたちに教えておきたい点を三点に絞って挙げてみたい。
●一般化の危険性
「日本人はキライ」コメントが現わると、私たちはいつも授業を中断して、話し合いをした。まず、そう言われた時、どう感じたかを聞いてみた。そこから 話し合いが始まった。彼らは口々にこう応える。「いやな気持ち」「悲しい」「腹が立つ」 感情はパワフルだし、その感情は、今、こうして再びそのことを思い出すだけでもよみがえってくるようで、数人はそう言いながら本当に怒ったような、 つっかかるような表情をしていた。 次の「どうしてそんな気持ちになったんだと思う？」という質問には、手をあげた生徒のほとんどが「僕は何もしていないのに僕が悪いことをしたかのよう に言われたから」と答えを出す。 その点を深く考えて、私たちが導き出した結論は「過去、日本が他国にひどいことをしたからといって、全ての日本人が凶悪な人間であると仮定するのは間 違っている」で、これについては、ほぼ全員がすんなりと納得がいくようだった。 次の「では、私たちも同じような一般化をして、友達や、まわりの人たちを判断してはいないだろうか」との問いには、「アジア人は数学が得意」、「イン ド人は計算が得意」、「黒人は運動能力が優れている」、「ロシア人はよくお酒を飲む」といった答えが出されてくる。そして、ここで必ず数人が「ステレオ タイプ」という言葉を教えてくれる。 ある個人をグループの一員として一般化して考える際には、個人の感情を傷つける危険性がある。私たちの社会では、何よりも個人が優先されるべきであ る。だから、グループ分けをするときは、個人の感情を害していないかどうかを慎重に考慮すべきだという点を教える必要がある。 生徒が肌で感じた納得のいかない気持ちは、言われた本人の個の資質を無視し、グループの一員に一般化して個性が矮小化され、または無視されたことに起 因する。それを、一人ひとりが自分の気持ちを反省しながら気付き、たどたどしくはあるが自分のことばで表現する姿を見ていると、この苦い経験も人権につ いての大きな教訓になるだろう、と感じずにはいられなかった。
●「正しい歴史」の落とし穴
ある時、他の教師たちに「日本人はキライ」コメントについて話してみた。ところ、彼らも同様のコメントを生徒から聞いたことがあると言う。その後の会 話を聞いていると、「だからこそ、生徒が過去に何が起こったのかを堂々と相手に伝えることができるように、日本人として日本の正しい歴史を教える必要が ある」という意見が大半のようだったが、私はこれには賛成しなかったし、今も賛成しかねる。 過去に何が起こったかをできるだけ正確に教えることは必要だ。しかし、それと同時に必要なのは、さまざまな立場の人たちが一つの「事実」をめぐってさ まざまな解釈をする可能性がある点を伝えることだと思う。そして、このことは、とりもなおさず歴史を教える立場の私たちが必ず念頭に置いておかねばなら ないことでもある。 子どもたちは、昨夜のお父さんとの喧嘩の顛末をお父さんから聞くのと、Ａ君から聞くのとではまったく話が違ってくる、という簡単なエピソードで、その 点を納得していたものだ。 「カナダの太平洋戦争に関する歴史教育は偏っている」、「中国や韓国の歴史観は偏っている」という言葉を子どもたちに伝えれば、彼らに保身の術を与え るどころか、彼らを孤立させてしまう可能性すらある。 ジョージ・オーウェルの言葉「現在を支配する者が過去を支配し、過去を支配する者、が未来を支配する」を脳裏に刻み、それぞれの立場の人が主張する 「正しい歴史」の落とし穴を子どもたちに教えるようにしたいものだ。●歴史を自分の言葉で語る 時折、教室で不意に現われる「ブッシュは悪い」とか「日本の政治家は汚い」といったコメントと同様に、その中身を深く追求しようとすると口ごもって答 えられない程度の曖昧なものではあるが、多くの生徒は「過去に日本は悪いことをした」という感覚を漠然と持っている。その結果は、「後ろめた い」、「堂々とできない」といった言葉に表れるようなネガティブな態度として帰結する。 彼らが歴史を曖昧にしか知らないことは、「日本人はキライ」コメントに出会った彼らを苦しめる原因の一つとなっている。漠とした曖昧性は、私たちの理 性的判断を狂わせ、感情面においては不安を呼び起こす。 「悪いこと」とは何なのか、いつの時代に何が起こって、それはどういう結果を生んだのか。そうした点をしっかりした情報に裏付けられた知識とすること で、子どもたちは歴史のできごとを自分のものとし、それに対する自分の言葉を持てるようになる。 彼らが友達のコメントにどう反応するかは、子どもたちの判断に任せればいい。ただし、子どもたちが日本人であることを根拠もなく恥ずかしがったり、そ のコメントに対して怒りを表すのではなく、理性的に反応できるように日々の生活のなかで歴史を学ぶチャンスを与え、調べた結果や感想を話し合うプロセス を導いていくのは、私たち大人の役目である。 歴史は過去のことではあるが、同時に現在・未来を生きる私たちの頭上に長い影を落とす。それは、友達から「日本人はキライ」と言われた子どもたちに は、はっきりとした事実として感じられることだろう。「そんなとき、どうしたらいいの？」という胸をえぐるような悲しい問いに、私たちはどう答えるの か。海外に暮らす子どもたちにとっては、私たち大人はすべて歴史の教師であることを、しっかりと覚えておきたい。
＊筆者の篠原ちえみ氏は、トロント在住のフリーランス・ライター、広島県出身。著書に「移民のまちで暮らす」、訳書にアーナ・パリス「歴史の影」（とも に社会評論社刊）がある。
トロントの日本人学校で中学生レベルを教えていた時、生徒がクラスのなかで不意に発したり、書かせた作文に現われる同一のエピソードがあった。「現地 校（カナダの学校）で同級生から、過去にアジアでひどいことをした日本人は嫌いだから君とは口をきかない、と言われた」というものである。それを語る 時、子どもたちは困惑し、悲しいような、怒ったような複雑な表情をみせた。 その話題が授業やホームルームで持ち上がる度、同じような経験がある人はいるかと尋ねた。すると、半分ほどが手を挙げたが、その挙手の仕方がまるで自 分が悪いことをしたかのようで、手をあげずにいる生徒の中にも同じような経験をしている者がいるのだろうと思わずにはいられなかった。その度に、まだ幼 い表情の彼らが感じたであろう痛みを思い、胸が痛んだ。 カナダの学校に通う日本人の生徒（日本生まれ、カナダ生まれを問わず）の中に、こうした苦い経験をする子どもたちが少なからずいることに、私たち大人 は敏感である必要がある。 更にいうと、こうした経験に対し、どう反応したらよいのかを考えさせることは、彼らを守るべき立場にいる私たち大人の義務だと思う。「日本人はキラ イ」コメントを耳にしたとき、子どもたちに教えておきたい点を三点に絞って挙げてみたい。
●一般化の危険性
「日本人はキライ」コメントが現わると、私たちはいつも授業を中断して、話し合いをした。まず、そう言われた時、どう感じたかを聞いてみた。そこから 話し合いが始まった。彼らは口々にこう応える。「いやな気持ち」「悲しい」「腹が立つ」 感情はパワフルだし、その感情は、今、こうして再びそのことを思い出すだけでもよみがえってくるようで、数人はそう言いながら本当に怒ったような、 つっかかるような表情をしていた。 次の「どうしてそんな気持ちになったんだと思う？」という質問には、手をあげた生徒のほとんどが「僕は何もしていないのに僕が悪いことをしたかのよう に言われたから」と答えを出す。 その点を深く考えて、私たちが導き出した結論は「過去、日本が他国にひどいことをしたからといって、全ての日本人が凶悪な人間であると仮定するのは間 違っている」で、これについては、ほぼ全員がすんなりと納得がいくようだった。 次の「では、私たちも同じような一般化をして、友達や、まわりの人たちを判断してはいないだろうか」との問いには、「アジア人は数学が得意」、「イン ド人は計算が得意」、「黒人は運動能力が優れている」、「ロシア人はよくお酒を飲む」といった答えが出されてくる。そして、ここで必ず数人が「ステレオ タイプ」という言葉を教えてくれる。 ある個人をグループの一員として一般化して考える際には、個人の感情を傷つける危険性がある。私たちの社会では、何よりも個人が優先されるべきであ る。だから、グループ分けをするときは、個人の感情を害していないかどうかを慎重に考慮すべきだという点を教える必要がある。 生徒が肌で感じた納得のいかない気持ちは、言われた本人の個の資質を無視し、グループの一員に一般化して個性が矮小化され、または無視されたことに起 因する。それを、一人ひとりが自分の気持ちを反省しながら気付き、たどたどしくはあるが自分のことばで表現する姿を見ていると、この苦い経験も人権につ いての大きな教訓になるだろう、と感じずにはいられなかった。
●「正しい歴史」の落とし穴
ある時、他の教師たちに「日本人はキライ」コメントについて話してみた。ところ、彼らも同様のコメントを生徒から聞いたことがあると言う。その後の会 話を聞いていると、「だからこそ、生徒が過去に何が起こったのかを堂々と相手に伝えることができるように、日本人として日本の正しい歴史を教える必要が ある」という意見が大半のようだったが、私はこれには賛成しなかったし、今も賛成しかねる。 過去に何が起こったかをできるだけ正確に教えることは必要だ。しかし、それと同時に必要なのは、さまざまな立場の人たちが一つの「事実」をめぐってさ まざまな解釈をする可能性がある点を伝えることだと思う。そして、このことは、とりもなおさず歴史を教える立場の私たちが必ず念頭に置いておかねばなら ないことでもある。 子どもたちは、昨夜のお父さんとの喧嘩の顛末をお父さんから聞くのと、Ａ君から聞くのとではまったく話が違ってくる、という簡単なエピソードで、その 点を納得していたものだ。 「カナダの太平洋戦争に関する歴史教育は偏っている」、「中国や韓国の歴史観は偏っている」という言葉を子どもたちに伝えれば、彼らに保身の術を与え るどころか、彼らを孤立させてしまう可能性すらある。 ジョージ・オーウェルの言葉「現在を支配する者が過去を支配し、過去を支配する者、が未来を支配する」を脳裏に刻み、それぞれの立場の人が主張する 「正しい歴史」の落とし穴を子どもたちに教えるようにしたいものだ。●歴史を自分の言葉で語る 時折、教室で不意に現われる「ブッシュは悪い」とか「日本の政治家は汚い」といったコメントと同様に、その中身を深く追求しようとすると口ごもって答 えられない程度の曖昧なものではあるが、多くの生徒は「過去に日本は悪いことをした」という感覚を漠然と持っている。その結果は、「後ろめた い」、「堂々とできない」といった言葉に表れるようなネガティブな態度として帰結する。 彼らが歴史を曖昧にしか知らないことは、「日本人はキライ」コメントに出会った彼らを苦しめる原因の一つとなっている。漠とした曖昧性は、私たちの理 性的判断を狂わせ、感情面においては不安を呼び起こす。 「悪いこと」とは何なのか、いつの時代に何が起こって、それはどういう結果を生んだのか。そうした点をしっかりした情報に裏付けられた知識とすること で、子どもたちは歴史のできごとを自分のものとし、それに対する自分の言葉を持てるようになる。 彼らが友達のコメントにどう反応するかは、子どもたちの判断に任せればいい。ただし、子どもたちが日本人であることを根拠もなく恥ずかしがったり、そ のコメントに対して怒りを表すのではなく、理性的に反応できるように日々の生活のなかで歴史を学ぶチャンスを与え、調べた結果や感想を話し合うプロセス を導いていくのは、私たち大人の役目である。 歴史は過去のことではあるが、同時に現在・未来を生きる私たちの頭上に長い影を落とす。それは、友達から「日本人はキライ」と言われた子どもたちに は、はっきりとした事実として感じられることだろう。「そんなとき、どうしたらいいの？」という胸をえぐるような悲しい問いに、私たちはどう答えるの か。海外に暮らす子どもたちにとっては、私たち大人はすべて歴史の教師であることを、しっかりと覚えておきたい。
＊筆者の篠原ちえみ氏は、トロント在住のフリーランス・ライター、広島県出身。著書に「移民のまちで暮らす」、訳書にアーナ・パリス「歴史の影」（とも に社会評論社刊）がある。
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
和平哲学中心周末沙龙系列：没有武器的战斗
For Chinese Readers: Peacephilosophy Center Saturday Salon on February 28th, 2009.
This Saturday Salon series are presented by PeacePhilosophy centre. This is a report from the meeting on February 29th, 2009. The topic of this meeting was “武器なき斗い”, which is a biographical movie of the life of Yanamoto Senji-- a biologist, pacifists and peasant movement leader of the 1920s. For more information about this movie and the Salon series, please contact our centre.
和平哲学中心定期于周六举办向公众开放的沙龙活动。此系列沙龙活动一般由自由交谈时间，观赏电影和讨论组成。已举行的两次沙龙活动的题目分别是“日本宪法的诞生”和“没有武器的战斗”。“没有武器的战斗”讲述的是1920年代日本活动家，大学教授，国会议员山本宣治的故事。
山本宣治年轻时代曾在温哥华留学5年，后因父亲病重而回到日本。因为他在温哥华的这段经历，在2005年他来加100周年的时候温哥华曾为此专门举行纪念活动。山本宣治回国后不久回到东京大学学习生物学，后留校任教。在学术方面，他的主要成就是被称为日本现代性教育的先驱。另外他所倡导的节育理论也被后世证明是正确的。他对待性的开明态度显然是不被当时的保守社会所接受的，而节育理论也被信奉人多就是力量的“爱国主义者”认为是有损国家的根基。在这一点上，他和当初马寅初的遭遇颇有类似之处。
山本宣治同时致力于乡土教育事业和为农民团体争取利益。 在农民团体的大力支持下，1927年他作为京都区候选人被选为国会议员。同时他坚决反对当时在日本逐渐占据统治地位的侵略扩张思想。他担任了“对中国不干涉同盟”的中国使节团团长，同时同恶名昭彰的“治安维持法”进行了坚决的斗争。当时日本政军界已经被狂热的法西斯侵略思想控制，治安维持法即是在此历史条件下法西斯集团用来对民众进行言论控制的工具。山本宣治的斗争自然被所谓的“爱国团体”视为眼中钉。 1929年3月5日晚，预定的关于治安维持法的国会讨论会在执政的政友会党的强行表决下被取消，当晚在家中山本宣治被右翼团体“七生义团”派出的刺客刺杀。
两天后的2009年3月5日将是山本宣治遇刺80周年的纪念日，我在此向山本宣治致以本人最高的敬意。作为一个同样在加拿大求学的学子，我被山本宣治，以及那个年代那一批带着无私理想的留学生们深深打动。如同山本宣治本人，他本可选择继承不菲的家业平平安安过完一生，但是他却选择了为了贫民的利益，为了自由的权利，以及为了国际的和平与正义直言，即便面临死亡的威胁也没有退缩。 90年前周恩来也是抱着同样的理想大江歌罢掉头东。作为新一代的留学生，我们有着前辈们不具备的优越的物质条件，但我想我们也不应该忘记这样的理想；我们不能作被优越的物质条件惯坏掉的垮掉的一代；我们不应当碌碌无为的混过人生。
山本宣治作为左派运动的带头人，常常被人带以共产主义的有色眼镜歧视对待。他死后直到二战结束的1945年间，他的墓碑曾多次遭到损毁，他的儿子也被大学拒收。姑且不论共产主义是否历史正确，我认为他们至少有一点是值得尊重的--他们是无私的理想主义者。即便理想有所不同，但我仍深深赞同保尔·柯察金的名言并时时以之自省：人最宝贵的东西是生命。人的生命只能有一次。人的一生应该这样度过：当他回首往事的时候，他不会因为虚度年华而悔恨，也不会因为碌碌无为而感到羞耻。
以上即是我从山本宣治的故事中获得的力量。
This Saturday Salon series are presented by PeacePhilosophy centre. This is a report from the meeting on February 29th, 2009. The topic of this meeting was “武器なき斗い”, which is a biographical movie of the life of Yanamoto Senji-- a biologist, pacifists and peasant movement leader of the 1920s. For more information about this movie and the Salon series, please contact our centre.
和平哲学中心定期于周六举办向公众开放的沙龙活动。此系列沙龙活动一般由自由交谈时间，观赏电影和讨论组成。已举行的两次沙龙活动的题目分别是“日本宪法的诞生”和“没有武器的战斗”。“没有武器的战斗”讲述的是1920年代日本活动家，大学教授，国会议员山本宣治的故事。
山本宣治年轻时代曾在温哥华留学5年，后因父亲病重而回到日本。因为他在温哥华的这段经历，在2005年他来加100周年的时候温哥华曾为此专门举行纪念活动。山本宣治回国后不久回到东京大学学习生物学，后留校任教。在学术方面，他的主要成就是被称为日本现代性教育的先驱。另外他所倡导的节育理论也被后世证明是正确的。他对待性的开明态度显然是不被当时的保守社会所接受的，而节育理论也被信奉人多就是力量的“爱国主义者”认为是有损国家的根基。在这一点上，他和当初马寅初的遭遇颇有类似之处。
山本宣治同时致力于乡土教育事业和为农民团体争取利益。 在农民团体的大力支持下，1927年他作为京都区候选人被选为国会议员。同时他坚决反对当时在日本逐渐占据统治地位的侵略扩张思想。他担任了“对中国不干涉同盟”的中国使节团团长，同时同恶名昭彰的“治安维持法”进行了坚决的斗争。当时日本政军界已经被狂热的法西斯侵略思想控制，治安维持法即是在此历史条件下法西斯集团用来对民众进行言论控制的工具。山本宣治的斗争自然被所谓的“爱国团体”视为眼中钉。 1929年3月5日晚，预定的关于治安维持法的国会讨论会在执政的政友会党的强行表决下被取消，当晚在家中山本宣治被右翼团体“七生义团”派出的刺客刺杀。
两天后的2009年3月5日将是山本宣治遇刺80周年的纪念日，我在此向山本宣治致以本人最高的敬意。作为一个同样在加拿大求学的学子，我被山本宣治，以及那个年代那一批带着无私理想的留学生们深深打动。如同山本宣治本人，他本可选择继承不菲的家业平平安安过完一生，但是他却选择了为了贫民的利益，为了自由的权利，以及为了国际的和平与正义直言，即便面临死亡的威胁也没有退缩。 90年前周恩来也是抱着同样的理想大江歌罢掉头东。作为新一代的留学生，我们有着前辈们不具备的优越的物质条件，但我想我们也不应该忘记这样的理想；我们不能作被优越的物质条件惯坏掉的垮掉的一代；我们不应当碌碌无为的混过人生。
山本宣治作为左派运动的带头人，常常被人带以共产主义的有色眼镜歧视对待。他死后直到二战结束的1945年间，他的墓碑曾多次遭到损毁，他的儿子也被大学拒收。姑且不论共产主义是否历史正确，我认为他们至少有一点是值得尊重的--他们是无私的理想主义者。即便理想有所不同，但我仍深深赞同保尔·柯察金的名言并时时以之自省：人最宝贵的东西是生命。人的生命只能有一次。人的一生应该这样度过：当他回首往事的时候，他不会因为虚度年华而悔恨，也不会因为碌碌无为而感到羞耻。
以上即是我从山本宣治的故事中获得的力量。
Monday, March 02, 2009
Senji Yamamoto: A Man To Be Remembered - 3
This is an essay by Kim Junghoon (Jong), inspired by the February 28th Salon on Senji Yamamoto. He is welcoming answers to his questions at the end. (This is in Japanese only for now.) ２月２８日の山本宣治についての「サロン」の感想として、ジョンさんが送ってくれた感想です。彼は「あなたは守りたいもの９は何ですか」という題とともに、皆さんからの返答を求めています。コメントとして投稿してください。
以下、Ｊｏｎｇさんの感想および問いかけです。
*************************************
今回の感想はTitleも付けてみました。
「あなたが守りたいのは何ですか」
山宣さんの映画を見ながらずっと思ったのは「あの人が学校からも反対されながらも人々に性教育した理由はなんだったんだろうか、そして自分よりより多くの力を持っている人たちに逆らいながら、勝ち目のない戦いだと知った上でも闘争して守ろうとした物はなんだったんだろう」でした。
それでは、こんな人の行動は恥だと思う人はなぜそう感じるのでしょうか。そして、そう思う人たちが守ろうとする物は何でしょうか。
同じ事を見てまったく違う結論にたどり着いた人たちの違いを分かることができたら何がどこから間違ったのかも分かることができ、両方の立場をもっと理解できるのではないのかなと思いました。
私は山宣さんが生きていた時代には生まれもしませんでした。そして、山宣さんの事を聞いたこともないし、あの時代の日本はどうだったのかもさえよく知りませんでした。
でも、山宣さんがおかれた状況を考えれば山宣さんが自分の話を熱心に聞いてくれたー普通に田んぼで働いて自分の家族と幸せにいきろうとするー人たちが自分の家族、子供の幸せすら守れない状況になって苦しんでいるのを見てそれを何とかしてあげたかったのではないだろうかと思いました。私にも大切な人がいてその人が幸せでいてほしいという気持ちはすごく分かるし、自分に何かできることがあったら、もし私が同じ状況におかれても同じことをしようとしたのではないかと思いました。
先週映画を見て頭にふっと浮かんできた人が一人いました。田母神俊雄さんです。彼が論文で言っている日本の戦争は日本が望んでしたのもないし、アジア各国のために努力したのだから過去のことで頭を下げず等々に生きれと言うことはちゃんと分かりました。でも彼の論文の中で彼は
「戦わない者は支配されることに甘んじなければならない。」と言っていました。
（論文全文Link：http://officematsunaga.livedoor.biz/archives/50734794.html）
奇麗事で自分の正しさを言おうとしたけど彼が日本の国民に持っている考え方も結局こんな物ではないのでしょうか。だからほかの同じ考えを持っていた人たちもあの時代の日本の農民、労働者たちをそんなに弾圧したのではないしょうか。そして、自分から戦わない人は支配されるのが当たり前だといいながらも過去にあった「支配に戦った人たち」のことを今の国民や子供たちに知らせないようにしていることはいったい何を守るためなんでしょうか。
私が愛する人と結婚して、いとしい子供たちができたら私はどんなことをしても幸せを守ってあげろうと努力するでしょう。それは私にとってはすべてと当然なものだから。でも自分が貧しくて、ほかの人と意見が違うとして、誰かがある人を殺してその人の財産を物にすれば貧しさを解決できると言ってきたとして、人を殺したり、被害をかけることが本当に私が守ろうとした物なのでしょうか。そして私の子供たちが将来こんな事を知って誇りに思えるのでしょうか。「自分は間違ってない、皆のためにしたことだ」と自分には言えるかもしれません。でも、それが自分が守ろうとしたのもので、正しいことなのでしょうか。もしかして、それは本当の幸せではなく、ただ自身の自尊心だったのではないか考えてみるべきだと思います。
映画の最後で皆が山宣さんの墓碑の前で山宣さんを思いながらないてるのを見て、私は山宣さんに守られた人たちには山宣さんの事をきっと「やま」のような「せん」せいだと思ったのはないだろかとも思ってみました。それは山宣さんは自分を犠牲にしてまで人々に守れるべきの大切なものが何かを教えてくれたから。
…………あなたが守りたかったものは何でしたか。そして、いま、あなたが守りたいのは何ですか？
Kim Junghoon
以下、Ｊｏｎｇさんの感想および問いかけです。
*************************************
今回の感想はTitleも付けてみました。
「あなたが守りたいのは何ですか」
山宣さんの映画を見ながらずっと思ったのは「あの人が学校からも反対されながらも人々に性教育した理由はなんだったんだろうか、そして自分よりより多くの力を持っている人たちに逆らいながら、勝ち目のない戦いだと知った上でも闘争して守ろうとした物はなんだったんだろう」でした。
それでは、こんな人の行動は恥だと思う人はなぜそう感じるのでしょうか。そして、そう思う人たちが守ろうとする物は何でしょうか。
同じ事を見てまったく違う結論にたどり着いた人たちの違いを分かることができたら何がどこから間違ったのかも分かることができ、両方の立場をもっと理解できるのではないのかなと思いました。
私は山宣さんが生きていた時代には生まれもしませんでした。そして、山宣さんの事を聞いたこともないし、あの時代の日本はどうだったのかもさえよく知りませんでした。
でも、山宣さんがおかれた状況を考えれば山宣さんが自分の話を熱心に聞いてくれたー普通に田んぼで働いて自分の家族と幸せにいきろうとするー人たちが自分の家族、子供の幸せすら守れない状況になって苦しんでいるのを見てそれを何とかしてあげたかったのではないだろうかと思いました。私にも大切な人がいてその人が幸せでいてほしいという気持ちはすごく分かるし、自分に何かできることがあったら、もし私が同じ状況におかれても同じことをしようとしたのではないかと思いました。
先週映画を見て頭にふっと浮かんできた人が一人いました。田母神俊雄さんです。彼が論文で言っている日本の戦争は日本が望んでしたのもないし、アジア各国のために努力したのだから過去のことで頭を下げず等々に生きれと言うことはちゃんと分かりました。でも彼の論文の中で彼は
「戦わない者は支配されることに甘んじなければならない。」と言っていました。
（論文全文Link：http://officematsunaga.livedoor.biz/archives/50734794.html）
奇麗事で自分の正しさを言おうとしたけど彼が日本の国民に持っている考え方も結局こんな物ではないのでしょうか。だからほかの同じ考えを持っていた人たちもあの時代の日本の農民、労働者たちをそんなに弾圧したのではないしょうか。そして、自分から戦わない人は支配されるのが当たり前だといいながらも過去にあった「支配に戦った人たち」のことを今の国民や子供たちに知らせないようにしていることはいったい何を守るためなんでしょうか。
私が愛する人と結婚して、いとしい子供たちができたら私はどんなことをしても幸せを守ってあげろうと努力するでしょう。それは私にとってはすべてと当然なものだから。でも自分が貧しくて、ほかの人と意見が違うとして、誰かがある人を殺してその人の財産を物にすれば貧しさを解決できると言ってきたとして、人を殺したり、被害をかけることが本当に私が守ろうとした物なのでしょうか。そして私の子供たちが将来こんな事を知って誇りに思えるのでしょうか。「自分は間違ってない、皆のためにしたことだ」と自分には言えるかもしれません。でも、それが自分が守ろうとしたのもので、正しいことなのでしょうか。もしかして、それは本当の幸せではなく、ただ自身の自尊心だったのではないか考えてみるべきだと思います。
映画の最後で皆が山宣さんの墓碑の前で山宣さんを思いながらないてるのを見て、私は山宣さんに守られた人たちには山宣さんの事をきっと「やま」のような「せん」せいだと思ったのはないだろかとも思ってみました。それは山宣さんは自分を犠牲にしてまで人々に守れるべきの大切なものが何かを教えてくれたから。
…………あなたが守りたかったものは何でしたか。そして、いま、あなたが守りたいのは何ですか？
Kim Junghoon
Senji Yamamoto: A Man To Be Remembered - 2
Here is a comment from Shoko Hata to the February 28 Peace Philosophy Salon on Senji Yamamoto. Comments are welcome! ２月２８日の、山本宣治についての「サロン」の感想です。Shoko Hata さんが書いてくれました。コメントお待ちしています。 (It is only in Japanese, for now.)
******************
私も山宣のようなリーダーが居たこと、そしてそれに賛同して団結して闘った日本人の歴史を、本当に誇りに思いました。そして、それと同時に、「なぜ私は今まで山本宣治さんの存在を知らなかったんだろう？」と、悔しさを覚えました。なぜ、あんなに大切な日本の歴史を、教えてくれる人が居なかったのか、なぜ日本の教育の中から外されてしまっているのか、「悔しい」という言葉しか見当たりません。
テレビで、中国から原爆資料館を訪れた人たちにインタビューしていたのを見た事があります。その時、「日本は私たちにひどいことをしたのだから、原爆が落とされて当然だ。日本ばかりこうして被害者ぶって、不愉快だ」と言っていた人がいました。そのとき私は中学生くらいだったのですが、「この人は、なんてことを言うんだろう」と怒りに似た感情を覚えました。
今思うと、私がその人の言葉に対して反感を持ったのは、私は広島（日本）が受けた被害について教えてもらう機会は沢山あったのに、逆に日本の加害の部分をきちんと学ぶ機会が明らかに少なかったせいではないかと思います。
私の記憶が正しければ、2004~2005年頃に、日本のメディアで中国や韓国での反日運動がとても頻繁に取り上げられていました。
「反日運動参加者の中にも、ふたを開ければ実は自宅では日本ブランド（sony, panasonic,sharpなど）の家電製品を使っている」、「反日なら、日本の商品を使わなければいい、日本にも来なければいい、そして"日本"を使って商売するのをやめめるべきだ」、教科書の問題に関しては「こっち（日本）はいちいち韓国や中国の教科書について文句は言わないのに、なんで韓国や中国はそんなに介入してくるのか」などと、日本人の中に、反日に対する反感を煽るような報道ばかりを覚えています。
それこそ当時の私は、criticalthinkingをすることもなく、政治*歴史にも無関心で、偏差値に目的を置いての勉強ばかりをしていたような馬鹿な学生だったので、日本の加害の歴史を無視した発言*思想を、当時はそのまま受け止めてしまっていました。
「確かに、日本も中国や韓国の人たちにひどいことをしたかもしれない。でも、、、、」と、「でも」が付いてしまう。以前の私は、そんな考え方をする「癖」みたいなのが付いていたように思います。今、昔の自分を振り返りながら、とても怖くなってきました‥‥。
「広島に生まれ育ったことに運命すら感じ、世界平和を心から願っていた」という自分が居たのは本当ですが、でも「日本の加害」に関する話題になると、知識*教養の無さからの歪んだ考え方があったのも事実です。
今こうして自分自身を振り返りながら、日本で学生だった頃に、歴史や政治に無関心で日本や歴史に対する偏った見方をしていた自分を責め、反省しています。そして、それと同時に、「どうして誰も、山宣についても、労働農民党の動きについても、日本の加害についても、きちんと教えてくれなかったんだろうか」と、日本という国（政治）に対して、教育に対して、懐疑するようになりました。
賀上さんが学生の私たちに「山宣を通じて、君たちがカナダで勉強した経験を日本に帰ったときにぜひ生かして欲しい」とおっしゃっていたその言葉を、私はどう受け止め、これから行動して行くべきか、今、考えています。
**********************
Shoko Hata
******************
私も山宣のようなリーダーが居たこと、そしてそれに賛同して団結して闘った日本人の歴史を、本当に誇りに思いました。そして、それと同時に、「なぜ私は今まで山本宣治さんの存在を知らなかったんだろう？」と、悔しさを覚えました。なぜ、あんなに大切な日本の歴史を、教えてくれる人が居なかったのか、なぜ日本の教育の中から外されてしまっているのか、「悔しい」という言葉しか見当たりません。
テレビで、中国から原爆資料館を訪れた人たちにインタビューしていたのを見た事があります。その時、「日本は私たちにひどいことをしたのだから、原爆が落とされて当然だ。日本ばかりこうして被害者ぶって、不愉快だ」と言っていた人がいました。そのとき私は中学生くらいだったのですが、「この人は、なんてことを言うんだろう」と怒りに似た感情を覚えました。
今思うと、私がその人の言葉に対して反感を持ったのは、私は広島（日本）が受けた被害について教えてもらう機会は沢山あったのに、逆に日本の加害の部分をきちんと学ぶ機会が明らかに少なかったせいではないかと思います。
私の記憶が正しければ、2004~2005年頃に、日本のメディアで中国や韓国での反日運動がとても頻繁に取り上げられていました。
「反日運動参加者の中にも、ふたを開ければ実は自宅では日本ブランド（sony, panasonic,sharpなど）の家電製品を使っている」、「反日なら、日本の商品を使わなければいい、日本にも来なければいい、そして"日本"を使って商売するのをやめめるべきだ」、教科書の問題に関しては「こっち（日本）はいちいち韓国や中国の教科書について文句は言わないのに、なんで韓国や中国はそんなに介入してくるのか」などと、日本人の中に、反日に対する反感を煽るような報道ばかりを覚えています。
それこそ当時の私は、criticalthinkingをすることもなく、政治*歴史にも無関心で、偏差値に目的を置いての勉強ばかりをしていたような馬鹿な学生だったので、日本の加害の歴史を無視した発言*思想を、当時はそのまま受け止めてしまっていました。
「確かに、日本も中国や韓国の人たちにひどいことをしたかもしれない。でも、、、、」と、「でも」が付いてしまう。以前の私は、そんな考え方をする「癖」みたいなのが付いていたように思います。今、昔の自分を振り返りながら、とても怖くなってきました‥‥。
「広島に生まれ育ったことに運命すら感じ、世界平和を心から願っていた」という自分が居たのは本当ですが、でも「日本の加害」に関する話題になると、知識*教養の無さからの歪んだ考え方があったのも事実です。
今こうして自分自身を振り返りながら、日本で学生だった頃に、歴史や政治に無関心で日本や歴史に対する偏った見方をしていた自分を責め、反省しています。そして、それと同時に、「どうして誰も、山宣についても、労働農民党の動きについても、日本の加害についても、きちんと教えてくれなかったんだろうか」と、日本という国（政治）に対して、教育に対して、懐疑するようになりました。
賀上さんが学生の私たちに「山宣を通じて、君たちがカナダで勉強した経験を日本に帰ったときにぜひ生かして欲しい」とおっしゃっていたその言葉を、私はどう受け止め、これから行動して行くべきか、今、考えています。
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Shoko Hata
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Senji Yamamoto: A Man To Be Remembered - 1
The second Peace Philosophy Salon was another stimulating event. After watching the film "Buki Naki Tatakai (A Fight Without Weapons)," somebody asked, "Were you taught about Senji Yamamoto in school?" Nobody said yes. A man who almost single-handedly objected against the revision of the Peace Preservation Law, one that enabled death penalty. A man who represented the voices of labourers and farmers. A man who introduced sex education and birth control, to improve the living standard of the poor. One thing that is clear is that we, who were at the last Saturday's salon, will remember this courageous and conscientious man of the early 20th century of Japan forever.
昨日の「サロン」に参加いただきありがとうございました。素晴らしい素材を提供してくれた、Masa さん、ありがとうございました。山本宣治のような人はもっと深く歴史に刻まれるべきで、日本の若い人たちに学ばれるべき人と思います。日本では過去の戦争の過ちを学ぶことを「自虐史観」などと言ってあの戦争はアジアを解放する戦争であったとか、日本の周辺諸国への加害を過少評価することが「日本に誇りを持つこと」であることだと教えようとしている人たちがいます。そういう人たちは、山宣のような、戦前の日本において真の意味での大衆の声の代理となり民主主義を実践した人たちのことを教えようとはしません。しかし、私は、映画「武器なき斗い」を見て、また山宣についての本を読んで、戦前の日本にこのような素晴らしいビジョンを持ったリーダーがいたことを心から誇りに思いました。昨日のディスカッションで最初に出た疑問は「どうしてこの人のことを日本の学校で教わらなかったのだろう？」ということでした。まあ答えは明かかもしれません。山宣のような声を封じ込め、治安維持法によって投獄、拷問、暗殺、処刑し、日本が軍国主義者に支配されることを許したことによって、あの悲惨な１５年戦争と太平洋戦争のおびただしい被害と悲劇を招いたという日本の大きな過ちについて、国家自身は積極的に教えようとはしないでしょう。
Here are comments from the participants. 参加者からの感想です。Simple English translation follows the original Japanese comments.
- 私は東南アジア地域が好きで勉強しています。昨日、山本宣治さんのようなヒーロー的人物は、どの国にも居るといわれた方が居ましたが、確かに、と思いました。東南アジアのナショナリズムが相次いで起こっていたとき、ああいう風に立ち上がり、弾圧に抵抗した人はたくさん居ました。日本でも、そういう人が居たことに正直驚いたし、もっとその時代の動きを知りたいと思うきっかけになりました。 Y.T.
I am learning about Southeast Asia. There were many nationalists in the Southeast Asian countries who stood up despite the oppression. I was surprised to know there was such a person like Senji Yamamoto in Japan. This meeting has motivated me to learn more about that time period.
- 今の日本に山宣のように日本を変えようと思い、闘おうとする人やそれについて行こうとする人がいないのは、何らかの政治に対する不満を持っていても、それが自分たちの生活をそれほど脅かさないと思っているからではないでしょうか。例えば、イラク特措法にしても、賛否を問われた時、自衛隊を派遣することは９条に反しているのではないかと反対する人も多かったと思いますが、その中のほとんどの人は、自分は自衛隊じゃないまたは自分の家族は自衛隊じゃないから関係ないと、派遣には反対してもそれを行動に起こそうとする人は極少数で、たとえ誰かが反対運動をしてもそれについて行くという人も限られていたと思います。だから日本人はもっと政治を身近に感じておかしいと思った時に山宣のようにきちんと反対できる国民にならないといけないなぁと思いました。 M. F.
People in Japan don't see the connection between what goes on in the politics and their own life. For example, when the government was debating Iraq Special Measures Law, some people thought it was unconstitutional, but others did not care. We Japanese should be more active like Yamasen (Senji Yamamoto).
- 前回も素晴らしい会に参加させていただいてありがとうございました。私はディスカッションの時にも発言させていただいたように、山宣がなぜ教科書で取り上げられないのかということを疑問に思っていました。日本政府が知られたくない過去を封印しておく。非常に難しいラインであるなと改めて考え直すことでそう思いました。教科書はやはり生徒たちだけでなく、大衆の方が読むことも可能なので、山宣のような人物が取り上げられるということは簡単なことではないということも一理あるなと感じました。しかし、最終的に行き着くべきところにはやはり行き着いてほしいなというのが、心から思うところです。T.Y.
I wonder why there is no mention of Yamasen in Japanese textbooks. Japanese Government probably wants to hide that part of the history. I want more Japanese people to get to know Yamasen.
他に長めの文章があるので、別投稿にします。Some other longer comments will be posted separately.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Salon This Week: Senji Yamamoto
This week we will focus on Senji Yamamoto(1889-1929）, this progressive politician,labour activist, and biologist who opposed the Peace Preservation Law and was assassinated by an extreme right-winger in 1929. The notorious Peace Preservation Law enabled imprisonment and torture of thousands of progressive scholars, activists and journalists from 1925 to 1945. Yamamoto was from Kyoto and spent five years in Vancouver, out of his short 39 years of life. He is still regarded by a hero by many progressive people in Japan. March 5 this year will be the 80th anniversary of Yamamoto's death.
Time: 7:00 PM - whenever the discussion ends.
You are welcome to join us for sushi starting at 6 PM.
Date: Saturday, February 28, 2009
Place: Peace Philosophy Centre (email info@peacephilosophy.com for direction) in the heart of Vancouver, BC, Canada
RSVP: info@peacephilosophy.com by morning of February 28. For those who are coming early for sushi, let us know by Friday February 27.
We look forward to another evening of mutual learning, sharing, and lots of fun!
Lots of love,
Satoko
Time: 7:00 PM - whenever the discussion ends.
You are welcome to join us for sushi starting at 6 PM.
Date: Saturday, February 28, 2009
Place: Peace Philosophy Centre (email info@peacephilosophy.com for direction) in the heart of Vancouver, BC, Canada
RSVP: info@peacephilosophy.com by morning of February 28. For those who are coming early for sushi, let us know by Friday February 27.
We look forward to another evening of mutual learning, sharing, and lots of fun!
Lots of love,
Satoko
Feb 21 Salon on Japan's Constitution - Comments by Participants
The Peace Philosophy Salon on February 21, on the birth of Japan's Constitution was a great success. We had 14 people - students and professionals, and with Chinese, Korean, American and Japanese cultural backgrounds. Our discussion topics included Article 9, Self Defense Force, the constitutional revision debate, national referendum, happiness, "Power Over" versus "Power To," nationalism and patriotism in education. Here are excerpts from the comments from some of the participants.
"The meeting was very informative for me. I am surprised that the Article 9 doesn't say "in any circumstances" but "preceding paragraph" as we discussed. Still, I believe Japan should never lose it. " H. T.
Following are in comments in Japanese, followed by simple translation.
・・・多くの人たちが「戦争に負けたから勝った人のいうことを聞くのが９条がもつ意味だ」と言っていて、
私もそう思ったこともありました。でも、日本国憲法誕生のDocumentaryを見て、それを作った人たちがどんな思いで、どんな願いを込めて作ったものかわかる事ができました。憲法９条は戦争に勝った国たちの都合のいい、日本を操るためのものではなく、ただ平和で、幸せに暮らしたい、９条の会で合った皆さんのような人たちを守るための物であることがちゃんと分かりました。 Kim Junghoon
(I used to think Article 9 was given to the defeated by the victors. Seeing this documentary, I now know what thoughts and wishes those people had in drafting the Constitution. Article 9 was not for controlling Japan, but it is for protecting people's peace and happiness.)
・・・国民投票法により、憲法の改正が国民に委ねられてしまったことが非常に危険なことだと改めて感じました。私の個人的な意見ですが、日本人は他の国に比べて政治的関心が低く、憲法改正についても知識のない人が多いと思うので、そんな国民のことをわかりながら政府は民主主義をよそおい、国民を利用して改憲しようとしているのではないかなぁと感じました。 M. F.
(I think the government is trying to take advantage of the Japanese people, who are generally apathetic to politics, by passing the national referendum law and leading to a constitutional revision.)
・・・ドキュメンタリーの中でベアテさんが女性の人権のところへ来たときに日本側のスタッフが「これは日本の文化ではない、合わないので削除してほしい」と言った言葉が衝撃的でした。たったの６０数年前の日本はこうだったのですね。 Y.B.
(I was shocked to know that the Japanese government officials, in discussing the clause on equal rights for women and men, resisted by saying that the clause did not suit the Japanese culture and it should be removed. This was Japan, only 60 years ago. )
・・・勉強することであれだけ楽しかったのは久しぶりというぐらいすごく充実した時間が過ごせました。自分の心の中のどこかで平和に関する何かに従事していたいという気持ちがまた強くなりました。ディスカッションがあれだけ盛り上がるのは日本ではあまりないので、その点でも新鮮な感じがして良かったです。 T.Y.
(I had not had such joy of learning for a long time. I want to act for peace. Such engagement in discussion does not happen so often in Japan, so the whole experience was refreshing. )
・・・今回見たビデオは、日本国憲法の誕生の多重なプロセスをわかりやすく紹介していて、かつ、「憲法誕生という歴史」の解釈、構築のされかたなども考えさせられました。今後の憲法に関するディスカッションにも役に立つ重要な点を提供していたと思います。憲法９条の会のマサさん、ピースフィロソフィーの聡子さん、の豊富な知識や分析やコメントがとても勉強になりましたし、２０代の参加者のみなさんの真摯でまっすぐに社会と人間を見つめる姿勢はこれからも大事にしていってほしいと思いました。 N.T.
(The documentary introduced the multiple layers of the process in the birth of the Japanese Constitution. I learnt from knowledge and analysis of Masa (Vancouver Save Article 9) and Satoko (Peace Philosophy Centre). I was impressed with the young participants' genuine interests in society and humanity.)
Thank you all and I look forward to seeing all of you again in the next event!
Love,
Satoko
"The meeting was very informative for me. I am surprised that the Article 9 doesn't say "in any circumstances" but "preceding paragraph" as we discussed. Still, I believe Japan should never lose it. " H. T.
Following are in comments in Japanese, followed by simple translation.
・・・多くの人たちが「戦争に負けたから勝った人のいうことを聞くのが９条がもつ意味だ」と言っていて、
私もそう思ったこともありました。でも、日本国憲法誕生のDocumentaryを見て、それを作った人たちがどんな思いで、どんな願いを込めて作ったものかわかる事ができました。憲法９条は戦争に勝った国たちの都合のいい、日本を操るためのものではなく、ただ平和で、幸せに暮らしたい、９条の会で合った皆さんのような人たちを守るための物であることがちゃんと分かりました。 Kim Junghoon
(I used to think Article 9 was given to the defeated by the victors. Seeing this documentary, I now know what thoughts and wishes those people had in drafting the Constitution. Article 9 was not for controlling Japan, but it is for protecting people's peace and happiness.)
・・・国民投票法により、憲法の改正が国民に委ねられてしまったことが非常に危険なことだと改めて感じました。私の個人的な意見ですが、日本人は他の国に比べて政治的関心が低く、憲法改正についても知識のない人が多いと思うので、そんな国民のことをわかりながら政府は民主主義をよそおい、国民を利用して改憲しようとしているのではないかなぁと感じました。 M. F.
(I think the government is trying to take advantage of the Japanese people, who are generally apathetic to politics, by passing the national referendum law and leading to a constitutional revision.)
・・・ドキュメンタリーの中でベアテさんが女性の人権のところへ来たときに日本側のスタッフが「これは日本の文化ではない、合わないので削除してほしい」と言った言葉が衝撃的でした。たったの６０数年前の日本はこうだったのですね。 Y.B.
(I was shocked to know that the Japanese government officials, in discussing the clause on equal rights for women and men, resisted by saying that the clause did not suit the Japanese culture and it should be removed. This was Japan, only 60 years ago. )
・・・勉強することであれだけ楽しかったのは久しぶりというぐらいすごく充実した時間が過ごせました。自分の心の中のどこかで平和に関する何かに従事していたいという気持ちがまた強くなりました。ディスカッションがあれだけ盛り上がるのは日本ではあまりないので、その点でも新鮮な感じがして良かったです。 T.Y.
(I had not had such joy of learning for a long time. I want to act for peace. Such engagement in discussion does not happen so often in Japan, so the whole experience was refreshing. )
・・・今回見たビデオは、日本国憲法の誕生の多重なプロセスをわかりやすく紹介していて、かつ、「憲法誕生という歴史」の解釈、構築のされかたなども考えさせられました。今後の憲法に関するディスカッションにも役に立つ重要な点を提供していたと思います。憲法９条の会のマサさん、ピースフィロソフィーの聡子さん、の豊富な知識や分析やコメントがとても勉強になりましたし、２０代の参加者のみなさんの真摯でまっすぐに社会と人間を見つめる姿勢はこれからも大事にしていってほしいと思いました。 N.T.
(The documentary introduced the multiple layers of the process in the birth of the Japanese Constitution. I learnt from knowledge and analysis of Masa (Vancouver Save Article 9) and Satoko (Peace Philosophy Centre). I was impressed with the young participants' genuine interests in society and humanity.)
Thank you all and I look forward to seeing all of you again in the next event!
Love,
Satoko
Thursday, February 19, 2009
White Rock Meeting Report
This is a report of the February 14 meeting in White Rock, by Kyoko.
We had 13 participants on the Valentine Day - thank you! We together made 16 "9-patches" for creating one large quilt for peace.
Special thanks to the 3 men who participated in this event, and
Special thanks to Mihoko, who shared her experience of living and volunteering in Jordan.
Take care,
Kyoko
ホワイトロック・２月の会 ご報告
２月１４日(土）に、真理子さん宅で”２月の会”が開かれました。
この日は、バレンタインデーにもかかわらず（？）１３人の参加者があり、特に若い学生さんたちが参加してくださったことで、活気に満ちた会となりました。（最年少の参加者は、１２歳でした。）
今回は「平和をつなぐキルト作り」ということで、針を持って、一緒にナインパッチ作りをしながらいろいろな意見交換をすることができ、いつもの会とはまた違った有意義な時となりました。これまで針仕事とはほとんど縁が無かったと言われる方々もチャレンジしてくださり、この日新たに１６枚のナインパッチが出来上がりました！！！
特に、３人の男性参加者の健闘には、拍手を送りたいと思います。（細かい針目で、きっちりと仕上げてくれました。ありがとうございます。）
そして、山本美穂子さん（立命館大学）に、数回に渡って訪れた”ヨルダン”のお話をしていただきました。たくさんの写真と、美穂子さんが持ってきてくれたヨルダンのお菓子とで、視覚も味覚も同時に楽しませていただきながら、報道などからは知ることの出来ないヨルダンの日常生活や、人々の暖かさを教えていただきました。美穂子さんが、なぜそれほどヨルダンに魅かれるのかが、わかったような気がします。美穂子さん、どうもありがとうございました。
今回、「パッチワークをする」という小さな作業を通して、平和への思いを自然に語り合うことの出来たことは、大きな収穫でした。ここに参加したことが、もう一度いろいろなことを考えてみるきっかけとなりました、とおっしゃってくださった方もおられ、こちらも大きく励ましていただきました。私も、自分の人生でパッチワークをする日が来ようとは夢にも思いませんでしたが、この日みんなで針を動かしながら語り合い、感じたことは、きっとあとでこのパッチワークを見る度によみがえって来るのだろうな～、と思っています。「さあ、出来上がり！」と思ったら、あっ、裏返しだ！なんていうハプニングもありましたが、それを見る時にはきっといつでも、一生懸命に縫い物と格闘してくれていたその姿を、なつかしく思い出せそうな気がしています。
参加してくださった方々、どうもありがとうございました。
さて、皆さんにお願いしていたパッチワークの募集は、そろそろ締め切らせていただこうと思います。ご協力くださった皆さん、ありがとうございました。この場をお借りして、お礼を申し上げさせていただきます。最終的なご報告は、後日改めてさせていただきますが、３月からは、皆さんに作っていただいたパッチワークをつなげていく作業に入る予定です。どんなものになるでしょうか。。。。今できる最良のものを目指してがんばります。
それでは、”４月の会”でまたお会いしましょう。春まではまだもう少しかかりそうですから、風邪などひかれませんようにご注意ください。
京子
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Salon This Week: the Constitution of Japan
This Saturday's Peace Philosophy Salon will be about the Constitution of Japan - we will use a video program to learn about multiple organizations and individuals that contributed to the birth of the current Constitution of Japan in 1946, which includes the war-renouncing Article 9, acquired after the hard lesson of a devastating defeat and millions of lives lost in the wars of Asia Pacific. We will have Masa Kagami, a co-chair of Vancouver Save Article 9 with us. This event will be held primarily in Japanese. English speakers are more than welcome and translation will be provided.
Time: 7:30 PM - whenever the discussion ends.
You are welcome to join us for pizza starting at 6 PM.
Date: Saturday, February 21, 2009
Place: Peace Philosophy Centre (email info@peacephilosophy.com for direction) in the heart of Vancouver, BC, Canada
RSVP: info@peacephilosophy.com by morning of February 21. For those who are coming early for pizza, let us know by Friday February 20.
We look forward to this special evening of mutual learning and sharing.
Peace and love, forever,
Satoko
Time: 7:30 PM - whenever the discussion ends.
You are welcome to join us for pizza starting at 6 PM.
Date: Saturday, February 21, 2009
Place: Peace Philosophy Centre (email info@peacephilosophy.com for direction) in the heart of Vancouver, BC, Canada
RSVP: info@peacephilosophy.com by morning of February 21. For those who are coming early for pizza, let us know by Friday February 20.
We look forward to this special evening of mutual learning and sharing.
Peace and love, forever,
Satoko
Sunday, February 08, 2009
White Rock Meeting February 2009
Scroll down for an English summary of this meeting.
ピースフィロソフィー・ホワイトロックの会
二月の会についてのお知らせです。
場所： White Rock (詳しくはemail whiterock@peacephilosophy.com )
日時： ２月１４日 （土曜日） １時３０分
内容： 平和をつなぐキルト作り
平和をつなぐキルトは 日本からの日高さんの応援もあり 少しづつですが 集まっています。 でも やはり 作り方がもう一つわかりにくいとか みんなで集まって作れたらいいのにというお話がありました。 一人で針を持つよりも 皆でおしゃべりをしながら作ったら もっと楽しいし、いつもの勉強会とは 少し違った趣向の会もいいのではということになりました。
また 立命館からVisiting StudentとしてUBCにいらしている山本美穂子さんが 今回、参加してくれます。 彼女は NGOのボランティアとして数年前に行ったヨルダンが大好きになり もう なんども 出かけているとか。 ヨルダンでの生活、たくさんの経験話も キルトの針を運びながら 聞きたいと思っています。 裁縫道具、キルトの生地は こちらでも 支度しますが、思い出のある子供服の生地、ダンスのすみに寄せられたあまり布など ありましたら、お持ちください。 たくさんの方々の参加をお待ちしています。
真理子
February Meeting in White Rock
"Quilting for Peace"
Would you like to participate in the "Quilting for Peace?" You don't need to be able to quilt. I am hopeless in sewing, but even I could do it. All you need to do is to sew 9 patches of cloth together. Why 9? Easy to guess. It is for the Article 9. On Saturday February 14th, we will get together in White Rock and do quilting together and talk about peace. We don't just talk about peace. The process of getting together on the Valentines Day and guilting "9 patches" itself is peace. This time we will welcome Mihoko Yamamoto, a UBC exchange student from Ritsumeikan University (Kyoto, Japan) to join us and talk about her volunteering experience in Jordan. Jordan? What do we know about Jordan? Do not miss this opportunity. Please bring pieces of cloth - old children's clothes, clothes you don't wear any more, etc. And there is no room for sexism in this event. Men and women are all welcome.
Date and Time:
1:30 PM -
Saturday, February 14th
Location:
White Rock (direction will be given to participants), BC, Canada
RSVP
whiterock@peacephilosophy.com
Mariko Yamamoto, organizer and host
(English summary by Satoko Norimatsu)
ピースフィロソフィー・ホワイトロックの会
二月の会についてのお知らせです。
場所： White Rock (詳しくはemail whiterock@peacephilosophy.com )
日時： ２月１４日 （土曜日） １時３０分
内容： 平和をつなぐキルト作り
平和をつなぐキルトは 日本からの日高さんの応援もあり 少しづつですが 集まっています。 でも やはり 作り方がもう一つわかりにくいとか みんなで集まって作れたらいいのにというお話がありました。 一人で針を持つよりも 皆でおしゃべりをしながら作ったら もっと楽しいし、いつもの勉強会とは 少し違った趣向の会もいいのではということになりました。
また 立命館からVisiting StudentとしてUBCにいらしている山本美穂子さんが 今回、参加してくれます。 彼女は NGOのボランティアとして数年前に行ったヨルダンが大好きになり もう なんども 出かけているとか。 ヨルダンでの生活、たくさんの経験話も キルトの針を運びながら 聞きたいと思っています。 裁縫道具、キルトの生地は こちらでも 支度しますが、思い出のある子供服の生地、ダンスのすみに寄せられたあまり布など ありましたら、お持ちください。 たくさんの方々の参加をお待ちしています。
真理子
February Meeting in White Rock
"Quilting for Peace"
Would you like to participate in the "Quilting for Peace?" You don't need to be able to quilt. I am hopeless in sewing, but even I could do it. All you need to do is to sew 9 patches of cloth together. Why 9? Easy to guess. It is for the Article 9. On Saturday February 14th, we will get together in White Rock and do quilting together and talk about peace. We don't just talk about peace. The process of getting together on the Valentines Day and guilting "9 patches" itself is peace. This time we will welcome Mihoko Yamamoto, a UBC exchange student from Ritsumeikan University (Kyoto, Japan) to join us and talk about her volunteering experience in Jordan. Jordan? What do we know about Jordan? Do not miss this opportunity. Please bring pieces of cloth - old children's clothes, clothes you don't wear any more, etc. And there is no room for sexism in this event. Men and women are all welcome.
Date and Time:
1:30 PM -
Saturday, February 14th
Location:
White Rock (direction will be given to participants), BC, Canada
RSVP
whiterock@peacephilosophy.com
Mariko Yamamoto, organizer and host
(English summary by Satoko Norimatsu)
My article in Geppo/Bulletin January 2009
My article on the play "NABI/Comfort Women" was published in the January edition of Geppo/Bulletin.
http://jccabulletin-geppo.ca/featured/in-review-nabicomfort-women/
Cheers,
Satoko
http://jccabulletin-geppo.ca/featured/in-review-nabicomfort-women/
Cheers,
Satoko
An Update from Peace Philosophy Centre
Hello all,
I have been quiet since my Happy New Year message, and for those of you who know how crazily active I have been for the last four or five years, you may be wondering what's been going on. From February I will organize smaller-scale events for Peace Philosophy Centre and will organize larger events primarily with Vancouver Save Article 9. I will upload 2009 schedule of events soon too.
With all the best wishes for peace and happiness,
Satoko
I have been quiet since my Happy New Year message, and for those of you who know how crazily active I have been for the last four or five years, you may be wondering what's been going on. From February I will organize smaller-scale events for Peace Philosophy Centre and will organize larger events primarily with Vancouver Save Article 9. I will upload 2009 schedule of events soon too.
With all the best wishes for peace and happiness,
Satoko
Monday, January 05, 2009
A Happy New Year from Peace Philosophy Centre
A Happy New Year. My heart extends to those hurt in Gaza and many other parts of the world. Peace Philosophy Centre will continue to provide space for learning in the new year. We will post a schedule of events soon. We welcome your ideas. We hope your new year will be filled with love, peace, and positive action for change.
Yours,
Satoko
Yours,
Satoko
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Hiroshima/Nagasaki Program Feedback from Participants
In September 13, Peace Philosophy Centre hosted a sharing event of the Hiroshima/Nagasaki Peace Exchange Tour 2008. For the description of the program please see here. For this event we conducted a survey among the U.S. participants of the 2008 tour.
The questions were:
1) What did you personally find was the highlight of this program and why?
2) How did you find the program changed your views on the issue?
3) How do you see what you`ve learnt through this program affecting your participation in nuclear non-proliferation and the Peace movement in the future?
4) Any other general comments about the program...
Some of the respondents agreed publish their views on this website.
********************************************************
Emily K.
1) The highlight of this program was getting to hear and speak with several hibakusha. I believe that speaking with the survivors brought an emotional response to the seminar that wouldn't have otherwise existed. It sone thing to read about an event, but it is a whole other experience entirely to talk to those who were physical and emotional impacted. If I had never heard their stories, I don't think I would have ever comprehended the destruction brought by the nuclear bombs.
2) My perspective has changed after attending the program. I had alwaysopposed the use of bombs because I'm a pacifist and hate any aspect of war, but I didn't understand the emotional aspect of the weapons until visiting Japan. After learning about the situations in Nagasaki and Hiroshima, I now firmly protest nuclear weapons and have a firmer reason for opposing them than merely being a pacifist.
3) This program definitely helped her become aware of nuclear abolition. I had not thought much about the subject before traveling to Japan and did not view it as a realistic goal. Now, after hearing the stories of the hibakusha and learning about Mayors for Peace, I am committed to helping achieve nuclear abolition in any way I can.
4) This was an amazing experience and I came home understanding so much more about the events in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Nuclear weapons play such a huge role in foreign policy and international relations, and it was very beneficial to me as an international studies major to understand the perspectives and history behind this issue.
Ben
1) For me, the highlight of the trip was hearing the testimonies of the hibakusha. The seminars, museums, and monuments were all enlightening, but nothing did more to convey the pure tragedy and devastation of the bombings more than the hibakusha testimonies. Hearing their stories, seeing their scars (both physical and emotional), and feeling their presence really did a lot to communicate how much of a terrible tragedy the atomic bombings were. It gave me a sense of how much the bombings affected people not just on August 6 and 9, 1945, but for years afterward and still today.
2) The program helped me to gain an understanding of just how long lasting the effects of the atomic bombings were. In America, we tend to overlook the fact that these cities were in shambles for so long, and people are still dying from the radiation effects today. And not only were the physical effects horrible, the psychological effects were probably even worse. I had no idea that hibakusha were treated as virtually second-class citizens sometimes. I didn't comprehend before the trip the fact that people had to deal with the death of family members from the bomb's radiation for years and years after the actual bombings.
Now that I understand more about how truly devastating atomic and nuclear weapons are, I find myself adamantly against not only their use, but their very presence.
3) What I have learned through this program has definitely motivated me to get involved in the anti-nuclear movement. When I returned to the U.S., one of the first things that I did was to email Professor Kuznick and ask him how I should go about getting involved. That we should not have nuclear weapons upon this earth, is something that I'm deeply convinced of now, and I want to do my part to teach others this.
4)We also had a blast!! It was great meeting everyone from Japan and Vancouver, and because we spent so much time together, we really all got to know each other very well in a relatively short period.
Singing Karaoke with everyone was probably only barely behind the testimony from hibakusha in the running for highlight of the trip!
Bethany Power
1) For me the highlight of the program was getting to learn the information,see the sites, and ask questions with the Japanese and Canadian Students. There was definatley some cultural exchanging going on between the "histories" we had all grown up with in our countries.
2) On August 8th we went to Oka Masaharu Nagasaki Peace Museum. The focus of the museum was on the Japanese atrocities in Asia during the war period. The museum was so graphic and emotional, even though it was very small and not as funded as the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb museum. The museum told the story of the Japanese occupation of Asian countries like Korea, China, the Philippines,Vietnam, etc. There were pictures of starved prisoners, starved civilians, and dead children. There was a large section devoted to the comfort women of the war period. There was a large section devoted to the Rape of Nanking. What struck me the most was the section on textbooks. The exhibited how the Japanese textbooks had become more censored over the years. They displayed certain sayings form the textbooks in 1997 and then from 2002 to show how the history was changing and certain parts of history, such as the validity of the story of the comfort women, were changing. I thought this was an important message. The story of the Japanese atrocities during the war couldn't get lost behind the atrocity of the nuclear bomb because then students get an imbalanced perspective and the future could be dangerous. It is important to let students know the whole story so they can make their own decisions about how they want to proceed in the future. Before the trip I had never really connected the atroicities the Japanese were inflicting and the A-Bomb.
Also, I had never thought about victims of the A-bomb that were not Japanese, such as the large amount of Koreans in Japan at the time. I was really interested in exploring more about this topic.
3) The ball started rolling in my head as I listened to Steve Leeper. As a future high school teacher my goal is not only to teach students the value and importance of history, but also to create a community that is helpful and concerned with the world around them. The Mayors for Peace organization would work well as an organization like "Teachers for Peace" or "Classrooms for peace" where we start a national, or international organization, which promotes peace studies to ensure that students understand the choices governments can take other than war.
I was also surprised by the amount of cover-up the government was doing before, during and after the war to preserve the stability. For example, at the Tokyo air raid museum I learned that the Japanese government downplayed the bombings of Tokyo because if the people were aware of the level of destruction and devastation almost 6 months before the atomic bombs were dropped they would ask, "Why didn't the government stop the war after theTokyo air raids?" She said there would be more resentment toward the government and more anger for the destruction. The truth of what happened inTokyo makes the government look bad in the eyes of the people.
4) Any other general comments about the program...During the program I met good friends, learned a lot about Japan and learned lessons about Nuclear warfare that I would never get out of a textbook. I feared that the program would be very one-sided, takng a very"villian" approach to the US dropping of the bomb. Instead I felt like there was more of a focus on the future.
S. Matthews
1) The tour and program helped me to personally experience another historical perspective from inside another countries point of view. I hope to share with students and others the lessons I learned, things I saw, and people's stories I heard. Perhaps one of the most stimulating things for me, as a teacher, was the consideration of student text books in different musuems showing their development, censorship, and curriculum changes. I was also struck by the relatively open manner the musuems discussed Japanese atrocities, rather than silence them from the historical record. I really enjoyed visiting an ailing Hibakusha with Satoko and sharing our differentideas and stories. I am currently learning how to conduct, interview and use oral history in historical research. I really hope to apply these skills perhaps to the people I met on the tour sometime in the future.
2) I had never understood, read or learned from a human centered historical point of view. I would never dismiss anouther mode of remembering or learning but was unsure how a human-victim centered focus would blend with my prior knowledge. Using multiple perpsectives helps put global issues in a correct perspective. Perhaps trans-national points of view cloud a single story line but becuase of the trip, I feel more prepared to answer students questions and write intellegently and hopefully persuasively on nuclear topics.
3) I am not quite sure what level of involment I may pursue. Yet now I readthe news differently, subscribe to mayors for peace, and will attend demonstrations when possible.
4) I really encourage everyone who9 is able, unwilling or perhaps reticent about dealing with war issues, atomic history to attend as well as people who already believe in nuclear abolition. Especially teachers who can then share and bring their experiences into their classrooms.
Wilmer Gutierrez
1) Meeting new people: American, Canadian and Japanese students. Also, hearing from the Hibakusha personally, the karaoke nights
2) I didn't have a lot of opinions over the nuclear issue. It as it was impose to me that nuclear weapons were necessary to defend ourselves. I didn't really question that before until this trip. It completely change my opinion/made me have an opinion that nuclear weapons are not really necessary, but they endangered our lives and endangered the future as a civilization. Also, I was thought in high school that the US warned Japan of a powerful new weapon before dropping the two atomic bombs. Because they didn't surrender, the US HAD to drop the weapon in to make them to surrender. By attending this trip and from the evidence, I know this is not true at all. So, this program completely change my attitude, opinion, and taught me something completely different from the "view" that I was taught in high school in America.
3) I definitely think that I will join the non-proliferation and peace movement somehow. At this point I don't know how, but some ideas that have run through my head is pushing my college, Goucher College, to start a project similar to Rits University: building a Peace Museum. That is in the long run, but I'd like to start now by putting the idea on the table. Also, I would like to encourage other Goucher students to attend this program, especially Political Science students.
4) Great program! If I can, I want to do it again !!
Jenn Englekirk
1) The highlight of the trip was meeting and spending time with Koko. I also enjoyed getting to know people and spending time with people that I normally would not even meet on campus.
2) When I departed from Washington D.C. on July 30th, I viewed the dropping of atomic bombs on Japan as justified and brilliant. I read Hershey's book Hiroshima during the first 3 hours of the flight and was a little upset by his point of view. I even approached Professor Kuznick, during that flight, and grilled him on a couple of issues. In particular, I grilled him in the area of the responsibility of the government to protect it's own citizens and soldiers first, when it comes to war. He patiently answered some questions and then told me to wait for his lecture in a couple of days.
When he gave his lecture, 3 days later, I was given information I had never heard before. I am not one who will automatically believe everything I am told, especially from a liberal professor. So, following his lecture, I launched into my own research and low and behold, I discovered that Kuznick was not lying; the facts Kuznick gave us were correct. This began to change my view.
By the time we took off from Tokyo on August 11th, my views on Atomic warfare had changed 180 degrees. Truman and his advisors should have been charged with war crimes for what took place on August 6 and August 9, 1945. In addition, they should be charged with war crimes for the Tokyo bombings as well. There is no way to excuse what occurred on those dates. Winners or not, the United States should be held accountable for their role in the attacks.
3) My life has been changed due to this trip. My senior thesis topic went from something about the rules and traditions of baseball to the affects of atomic testing on United States civilians (still trying to narrow down that topic). Before this class, I was not sure whether I wanted to get a masters in education or history or even what I wanted to concentrate on or do with my life. Because of Japan, I have found my calling. I know now that I want to earn my Ph.D. in history with a concentration in nuclear studies. I hope to one day become a professor and be able to show my own students the horrible affects of an ill decision and how that decision affect our lives, even 60 years after the affects.
4) I strongly believe that trips like these should be required for every college professor to take (in any department) and strongly recommended for any college student, especially those who wish to become history majors. You can read about these things in books and you can watch it on film but nothing, and I mean nothing, can replace the experience of being there, seeing and hearing first hand from the Hibakusha, what they went through.
********************************************************
Comments are welcome.
Happy Holidays!
Satoko
The questions were:
1) What did you personally find was the highlight of this program and why?
2) How did you find the program changed your views on the issue?
3) How do you see what you`ve learnt through this program affecting your participation in nuclear non-proliferation and the Peace movement in the future?
4) Any other general comments about the program...
Some of the respondents agreed publish their views on this website.
********************************************************
Emily K.
1) The highlight of this program was getting to hear and speak with several hibakusha. I believe that speaking with the survivors brought an emotional response to the seminar that wouldn't have otherwise existed. It sone thing to read about an event, but it is a whole other experience entirely to talk to those who were physical and emotional impacted. If I had never heard their stories, I don't think I would have ever comprehended the destruction brought by the nuclear bombs.
2) My perspective has changed after attending the program. I had alwaysopposed the use of bombs because I'm a pacifist and hate any aspect of war, but I didn't understand the emotional aspect of the weapons until visiting Japan. After learning about the situations in Nagasaki and Hiroshima, I now firmly protest nuclear weapons and have a firmer reason for opposing them than merely being a pacifist.
3) This program definitely helped her become aware of nuclear abolition. I had not thought much about the subject before traveling to Japan and did not view it as a realistic goal. Now, after hearing the stories of the hibakusha and learning about Mayors for Peace, I am committed to helping achieve nuclear abolition in any way I can.
4) This was an amazing experience and I came home understanding so much more about the events in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Nuclear weapons play such a huge role in foreign policy and international relations, and it was very beneficial to me as an international studies major to understand the perspectives and history behind this issue.
Ben
1) For me, the highlight of the trip was hearing the testimonies of the hibakusha. The seminars, museums, and monuments were all enlightening, but nothing did more to convey the pure tragedy and devastation of the bombings more than the hibakusha testimonies. Hearing their stories, seeing their scars (both physical and emotional), and feeling their presence really did a lot to communicate how much of a terrible tragedy the atomic bombings were. It gave me a sense of how much the bombings affected people not just on August 6 and 9, 1945, but for years afterward and still today.
2) The program helped me to gain an understanding of just how long lasting the effects of the atomic bombings were. In America, we tend to overlook the fact that these cities were in shambles for so long, and people are still dying from the radiation effects today. And not only were the physical effects horrible, the psychological effects were probably even worse. I had no idea that hibakusha were treated as virtually second-class citizens sometimes. I didn't comprehend before the trip the fact that people had to deal with the death of family members from the bomb's radiation for years and years after the actual bombings.
Now that I understand more about how truly devastating atomic and nuclear weapons are, I find myself adamantly against not only their use, but their very presence.
3) What I have learned through this program has definitely motivated me to get involved in the anti-nuclear movement. When I returned to the U.S., one of the first things that I did was to email Professor Kuznick and ask him how I should go about getting involved. That we should not have nuclear weapons upon this earth, is something that I'm deeply convinced of now, and I want to do my part to teach others this.
4)We also had a blast!! It was great meeting everyone from Japan and Vancouver, and because we spent so much time together, we really all got to know each other very well in a relatively short period.
Singing Karaoke with everyone was probably only barely behind the testimony from hibakusha in the running for highlight of the trip!
Bethany Power
1) For me the highlight of the program was getting to learn the information,see the sites, and ask questions with the Japanese and Canadian Students. There was definatley some cultural exchanging going on between the "histories" we had all grown up with in our countries.
2) On August 8th we went to Oka Masaharu Nagasaki Peace Museum. The focus of the museum was on the Japanese atrocities in Asia during the war period. The museum was so graphic and emotional, even though it was very small and not as funded as the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb museum. The museum told the story of the Japanese occupation of Asian countries like Korea, China, the Philippines,Vietnam, etc. There were pictures of starved prisoners, starved civilians, and dead children. There was a large section devoted to the comfort women of the war period. There was a large section devoted to the Rape of Nanking. What struck me the most was the section on textbooks. The exhibited how the Japanese textbooks had become more censored over the years. They displayed certain sayings form the textbooks in 1997 and then from 2002 to show how the history was changing and certain parts of history, such as the validity of the story of the comfort women, were changing. I thought this was an important message. The story of the Japanese atrocities during the war couldn't get lost behind the atrocity of the nuclear bomb because then students get an imbalanced perspective and the future could be dangerous. It is important to let students know the whole story so they can make their own decisions about how they want to proceed in the future. Before the trip I had never really connected the atroicities the Japanese were inflicting and the A-Bomb.
Also, I had never thought about victims of the A-bomb that were not Japanese, such as the large amount of Koreans in Japan at the time. I was really interested in exploring more about this topic.
3) The ball started rolling in my head as I listened to Steve Leeper. As a future high school teacher my goal is not only to teach students the value and importance of history, but also to create a community that is helpful and concerned with the world around them. The Mayors for Peace organization would work well as an organization like "Teachers for Peace" or "Classrooms for peace" where we start a national, or international organization, which promotes peace studies to ensure that students understand the choices governments can take other than war.
I was also surprised by the amount of cover-up the government was doing before, during and after the war to preserve the stability. For example, at the Tokyo air raid museum I learned that the Japanese government downplayed the bombings of Tokyo because if the people were aware of the level of destruction and devastation almost 6 months before the atomic bombs were dropped they would ask, "Why didn't the government stop the war after theTokyo air raids?" She said there would be more resentment toward the government and more anger for the destruction. The truth of what happened inTokyo makes the government look bad in the eyes of the people.
4) Any other general comments about the program...During the program I met good friends, learned a lot about Japan and learned lessons about Nuclear warfare that I would never get out of a textbook. I feared that the program would be very one-sided, takng a very"villian" approach to the US dropping of the bomb. Instead I felt like there was more of a focus on the future.
S. Matthews
1) The tour and program helped me to personally experience another historical perspective from inside another countries point of view. I hope to share with students and others the lessons I learned, things I saw, and people's stories I heard. Perhaps one of the most stimulating things for me, as a teacher, was the consideration of student text books in different musuems showing their development, censorship, and curriculum changes. I was also struck by the relatively open manner the musuems discussed Japanese atrocities, rather than silence them from the historical record. I really enjoyed visiting an ailing Hibakusha with Satoko and sharing our differentideas and stories. I am currently learning how to conduct, interview and use oral history in historical research. I really hope to apply these skills perhaps to the people I met on the tour sometime in the future.
2) I had never understood, read or learned from a human centered historical point of view. I would never dismiss anouther mode of remembering or learning but was unsure how a human-victim centered focus would blend with my prior knowledge. Using multiple perpsectives helps put global issues in a correct perspective. Perhaps trans-national points of view cloud a single story line but becuase of the trip, I feel more prepared to answer students questions and write intellegently and hopefully persuasively on nuclear topics.
3) I am not quite sure what level of involment I may pursue. Yet now I readthe news differently, subscribe to mayors for peace, and will attend demonstrations when possible.
4) I really encourage everyone who9 is able, unwilling or perhaps reticent about dealing with war issues, atomic history to attend as well as people who already believe in nuclear abolition. Especially teachers who can then share and bring their experiences into their classrooms.
Wilmer Gutierrez
1) Meeting new people: American, Canadian and Japanese students. Also, hearing from the Hibakusha personally, the karaoke nights
2) I didn't have a lot of opinions over the nuclear issue. It as it was impose to me that nuclear weapons were necessary to defend ourselves. I didn't really question that before until this trip. It completely change my opinion/made me have an opinion that nuclear weapons are not really necessary, but they endangered our lives and endangered the future as a civilization. Also, I was thought in high school that the US warned Japan of a powerful new weapon before dropping the two atomic bombs. Because they didn't surrender, the US HAD to drop the weapon in to make them to surrender. By attending this trip and from the evidence, I know this is not true at all. So, this program completely change my attitude, opinion, and taught me something completely different from the "view" that I was taught in high school in America.
3) I definitely think that I will join the non-proliferation and peace movement somehow. At this point I don't know how, but some ideas that have run through my head is pushing my college, Goucher College, to start a project similar to Rits University: building a Peace Museum. That is in the long run, but I'd like to start now by putting the idea on the table. Also, I would like to encourage other Goucher students to attend this program, especially Political Science students.
4) Great program! If I can, I want to do it again !!
Jenn Englekirk
1) The highlight of the trip was meeting and spending time with Koko. I also enjoyed getting to know people and spending time with people that I normally would not even meet on campus.
2) When I departed from Washington D.C. on July 30th, I viewed the dropping of atomic bombs on Japan as justified and brilliant. I read Hershey's book Hiroshima during the first 3 hours of the flight and was a little upset by his point of view. I even approached Professor Kuznick, during that flight, and grilled him on a couple of issues. In particular, I grilled him in the area of the responsibility of the government to protect it's own citizens and soldiers first, when it comes to war. He patiently answered some questions and then told me to wait for his lecture in a couple of days.
When he gave his lecture, 3 days later, I was given information I had never heard before. I am not one who will automatically believe everything I am told, especially from a liberal professor. So, following his lecture, I launched into my own research and low and behold, I discovered that Kuznick was not lying; the facts Kuznick gave us were correct. This began to change my view.
By the time we took off from Tokyo on August 11th, my views on Atomic warfare had changed 180 degrees. Truman and his advisors should have been charged with war crimes for what took place on August 6 and August 9, 1945. In addition, they should be charged with war crimes for the Tokyo bombings as well. There is no way to excuse what occurred on those dates. Winners or not, the United States should be held accountable for their role in the attacks.
3) My life has been changed due to this trip. My senior thesis topic went from something about the rules and traditions of baseball to the affects of atomic testing on United States civilians (still trying to narrow down that topic). Before this class, I was not sure whether I wanted to get a masters in education or history or even what I wanted to concentrate on or do with my life. Because of Japan, I have found my calling. I know now that I want to earn my Ph.D. in history with a concentration in nuclear studies. I hope to one day become a professor and be able to show my own students the horrible affects of an ill decision and how that decision affect our lives, even 60 years after the affects.
4) I strongly believe that trips like these should be required for every college professor to take (in any department) and strongly recommended for any college student, especially those who wish to become history majors. You can read about these things in books and you can watch it on film but nothing, and I mean nothing, can replace the experience of being there, seeing and hearing first hand from the Hibakusha, what they went through.
********************************************************
Comments are welcome.
Happy Holidays!
Satoko
Review of Play "NABI/Comfort Women" (by Chungmi Kim)
From despair to hope: “NABI/Comfort Women”(written by Chungmi Kim) and making an emotional connection with the victims
How do you go on living, when you have experienced suffering and humiliation beyond description? Should you abandon your past and live in the present? Or perhaps cut yourself off from the present and live in the past? Or confront the past in the present and live from moment to moment? Most women who were made sex slaves of the old Imperial Japanese army chose a way to go on living, and have embarked on new journeys.
On November 21, 2008, I went to see the Korean production of NABI/Comfort Women (originally COMFORT WOMEN written in English) by Chungmi Kim, which was directed by Eunmi Bang and performed by the members of her Nabi Theatre Company from Seoul, Korea. It was presented at Evergreen Cultural Centre in Coquitlam, a suburb of Vancouver on Canada's West Coast. I attended the opening performance. The 260-seat theatre was full. The Korean title of the play was "Nabi," which means “butterfly” in Korean. The butterfly has symbolic meaning in the play. The way butterflies take flight is a metaphor for the way victimized women regain dignity and freedom by talking about their experiences.
The story takes place in 1994 in New York City. Yuni Kim lives a quiet life with her daughter and her daughter’s family. One day, Yuni's granddaughter Jina, a student at New York University, returns home in high spirits. Jina explains that two victims of the Japanese Army's sex slavery during WWII are in New York to provide testimony at the United Nations. Yuni tells Jina to avoid contact with these women, but Jina replies, "Actually, I brought these halmonis home with me.” The two halmonis (“halmoni” means “grandmother” in Korean) enter and approach an agitated Yuni. These two tough women are able to tell of their painful past and still sing and laugh out loud. They find Yuni’s cold and unsympathetic manner annoying.
Yet the two halmonis sense something odd about Yuni's reactions. They notice scars on Yuni's fingertips, and what look like tattoo marks on her back. Bokhi, one of the halmonis, taking a long look at Yuni, suspects she has seen her before. Bokhi asks Yuni whether she was "Hanako," the “comfort woman” kept by a Japanese Army officer for his exclusive use. Yuni denies this fiercely. All she can hear in her heart is her late mother's voice telling her, "That was a nightmare, no more than a nightmare. Just forget about it!" And then all the formidable memories of old are brought back to her. Yuni cannot bear to confront the past she once buried away, and attempts to take her own life. Jina rushes to grandmother’s side, embraces her, and tells her how much she loves her. When Yuni later revives, she asks Jina to open the window. Sunlight and a breeze from outside fill the room.
During the last scene, the entire audience was in tears - even those like my Peace Center colleague from China and myself who were well informed about the "comfort women" issue. In July 2007, I travelled to Seoul to attend a demonstration in front of the Japanese Embassy. (This protest has been held by former victims of sex slavery and their supporters every Wednesday for the last 17 years.) I also visited the “Sharing House," where (at that time) nine former victims lived together. I have also been a member of Women's Active Museum (WAM) in Tokyo, which specializes in addressing wartime violence against women, particularly the sex slavery perpetrated by the Imperial Japanese Army. I realized I could never truly understand the anguish and suffering of these women, but I believed I understood this to a certain extent. Seeing this play, however, made me realize that my understanding had remained at an intellectual level.
In this play, we learn that Yuni was given the Japanese name "Hanako," when she was taken away at the age of 15 and made into a sex slave for the exclusive use of a single officer because of her beauty. Some envied her, saying, "At least you only have one officer to deal with, so you won't have to suffer from syphilis." At the end, however, Yuni was treated violently by this officer and transferred to another "comfort station," where she was raped by many soldiers. Following the war, Yuni's mother told her to treat the experience as a nightmare and forget about it. Yuni eventually married, but after having a baby her husband beat her when he learned that Yuni had been a sex slave.
Many scenes in this play made vivid the stories of these victims of sex slavery that I had read in books and heard in their testimonials, speaking directly to the hearts of the audience. Thekla Lit, President of BC ALPHA, a sponsor of this production, often speaks of the importance of our making emotional connections with the victims of war. This play certainly served that purpose for me, enabling me to nurture empathy with these women on a deeper level, as I believe the play did for many other members of the audience.
I was also moved by the way Yuni's despair was transformed into hope. Yuni had been married and was leading a seemingly happy life with her daughter and family until she was forced to confront a past that she had hidden away for over 50 years. Now she was left to face all the unbearable emotions of the past ? her childhood trauma, as a young and innocent girl who had been deeply wounded and never healed, her guilt over receiving ”better” treatment by the lone officer, her remorse over the fact that she had to abandon a friend with whom she had initially planned to make an escape, and her inner turmoil over believing she could never tell her family the truth even though she knew she bore no responsibility for her suffering.
I could relate to the anguish that led Yuni to choose her own death, though there was absolutely no need for her to die. As I was watching the scene, I found myself mentally screaming out and begging Yuni not to die. In this play, Jina and the young Yuni were played by the same actress. When Yuni came to, after her life had been hanging in the balance, she found Jina holding her. At that moment, Yuni must have seen her young and innocent self in Jina, and must have found hope for the future in her granddaughter. Jina's love and her words that she was proud of Yuni provided Yuni with the courage to live on.
Yuni's situation reminded me of Sakue Shimohira, a survivor of the Nagasaki atomic-bombing who was only 10-years old when she and her little sister became orphans. Amidst deteriorating health, poverty and despair, she had to "choose between the courage to die and the courage to live." She chose the courage to live. Even though these two women confronted different circumstances, the love they and all survivors received from family, friends and supporters plays a crucial role when they pass through the tunnel of pain and despair to find courage and hope. Yuni had her granddaughter Jina, but many victims of sex slavery don't have any surviving family members, as was the case for the two halmonis in this play. Who can love these halmonis, as Jina loves Yuni? The answer is each of us -- each of us who has seen the play, and each of us who chooses to face the issue of military sex slavery. Yuni decided to live on by a single thread of trust in humanity. Responsibility lies in each of us human beings to respond to Yuni's trust, irrespective of our nationality, gender or point of view.
According to the playwright Chungmi Kim, "Comfort Women" was first staged at an Off-Broadway theatre in New York in the fall of 2004. The play was included in the book "New Playwrights: The Best Plays of 2005" by Smith and Kraus. In May 2005, a Korean version of the play, titled "NABI," was presented at the Seoul Theatre Festival. Director Eunmi Bang established her own Nabi Theatre Company in the fall of 2005. The company has since performed the play about 200 times in Korea before being invited to perform it in Toronto and Vancouver this past fall. Hanuree Drama Club, a Greater Vancouver local theatre group, produced the performances in Coquitlam. According to Marketing Director Kevin Sung, the Club has 19 years of history and its members are primarily Korean Canadians. For this production, over 20 members of Hanuree Drama Club worked with 7 cast and 4 staff members of the Nabi Theatre Company. In the audience were not only Korean Canadians but also Canadians of European, Chinese, Japanese and other descent. It was significant that multicultural Vancouver hosted this production, which will raise awareness about the unresolved issue of the military sex slavery throughout the world. I would like to see more performances held outside of Korea, especially in Japan.
Satoko Norimatsu
Peace Philosophy Centre
Peace Philosophy Centre
How do you go on living, when you have experienced suffering and humiliation beyond description? Should you abandon your past and live in the present? Or perhaps cut yourself off from the present and live in the past? Or confront the past in the present and live from moment to moment? Most women who were made sex slaves of the old Imperial Japanese army chose a way to go on living, and have embarked on new journeys.
On November 21, 2008, I went to see the Korean production of NABI/Comfort Women (originally COMFORT WOMEN written in English) by Chungmi Kim, which was directed by Eunmi Bang and performed by the members of her Nabi Theatre Company from Seoul, Korea. It was presented at Evergreen Cultural Centre in Coquitlam, a suburb of Vancouver on Canada's West Coast. I attended the opening performance. The 260-seat theatre was full. The Korean title of the play was "Nabi," which means “butterfly” in Korean. The butterfly has symbolic meaning in the play. The way butterflies take flight is a metaphor for the way victimized women regain dignity and freedom by talking about their experiences.
The story takes place in 1994 in New York City. Yuni Kim lives a quiet life with her daughter and her daughter’s family. One day, Yuni's granddaughter Jina, a student at New York University, returns home in high spirits. Jina explains that two victims of the Japanese Army's sex slavery during WWII are in New York to provide testimony at the United Nations. Yuni tells Jina to avoid contact with these women, but Jina replies, "Actually, I brought these halmonis home with me.” The two halmonis (“halmoni” means “grandmother” in Korean) enter and approach an agitated Yuni. These two tough women are able to tell of their painful past and still sing and laugh out loud. They find Yuni’s cold and unsympathetic manner annoying.
Yet the two halmonis sense something odd about Yuni's reactions. They notice scars on Yuni's fingertips, and what look like tattoo marks on her back. Bokhi, one of the halmonis, taking a long look at Yuni, suspects she has seen her before. Bokhi asks Yuni whether she was "Hanako," the “comfort woman” kept by a Japanese Army officer for his exclusive use. Yuni denies this fiercely. All she can hear in her heart is her late mother's voice telling her, "That was a nightmare, no more than a nightmare. Just forget about it!" And then all the formidable memories of old are brought back to her. Yuni cannot bear to confront the past she once buried away, and attempts to take her own life. Jina rushes to grandmother’s side, embraces her, and tells her how much she loves her. When Yuni later revives, she asks Jina to open the window. Sunlight and a breeze from outside fill the room.
During the last scene, the entire audience was in tears - even those like my Peace Center colleague from China and myself who were well informed about the "comfort women" issue. In July 2007, I travelled to Seoul to attend a demonstration in front of the Japanese Embassy. (This protest has been held by former victims of sex slavery and their supporters every Wednesday for the last 17 years.) I also visited the “Sharing House," where (at that time) nine former victims lived together. I have also been a member of Women's Active Museum (WAM) in Tokyo, which specializes in addressing wartime violence against women, particularly the sex slavery perpetrated by the Imperial Japanese Army. I realized I could never truly understand the anguish and suffering of these women, but I believed I understood this to a certain extent. Seeing this play, however, made me realize that my understanding had remained at an intellectual level.
In this play, we learn that Yuni was given the Japanese name "Hanako," when she was taken away at the age of 15 and made into a sex slave for the exclusive use of a single officer because of her beauty. Some envied her, saying, "At least you only have one officer to deal with, so you won't have to suffer from syphilis." At the end, however, Yuni was treated violently by this officer and transferred to another "comfort station," where she was raped by many soldiers. Following the war, Yuni's mother told her to treat the experience as a nightmare and forget about it. Yuni eventually married, but after having a baby her husband beat her when he learned that Yuni had been a sex slave.
Many scenes in this play made vivid the stories of these victims of sex slavery that I had read in books and heard in their testimonials, speaking directly to the hearts of the audience. Thekla Lit, President of BC ALPHA, a sponsor of this production, often speaks of the importance of our making emotional connections with the victims of war. This play certainly served that purpose for me, enabling me to nurture empathy with these women on a deeper level, as I believe the play did for many other members of the audience.
I was also moved by the way Yuni's despair was transformed into hope. Yuni had been married and was leading a seemingly happy life with her daughter and family until she was forced to confront a past that she had hidden away for over 50 years. Now she was left to face all the unbearable emotions of the past ? her childhood trauma, as a young and innocent girl who had been deeply wounded and never healed, her guilt over receiving ”better” treatment by the lone officer, her remorse over the fact that she had to abandon a friend with whom she had initially planned to make an escape, and her inner turmoil over believing she could never tell her family the truth even though she knew she bore no responsibility for her suffering.
I could relate to the anguish that led Yuni to choose her own death, though there was absolutely no need for her to die. As I was watching the scene, I found myself mentally screaming out and begging Yuni not to die. In this play, Jina and the young Yuni were played by the same actress. When Yuni came to, after her life had been hanging in the balance, she found Jina holding her. At that moment, Yuni must have seen her young and innocent self in Jina, and must have found hope for the future in her granddaughter. Jina's love and her words that she was proud of Yuni provided Yuni with the courage to live on.
Yuni's situation reminded me of Sakue Shimohira, a survivor of the Nagasaki atomic-bombing who was only 10-years old when she and her little sister became orphans. Amidst deteriorating health, poverty and despair, she had to "choose between the courage to die and the courage to live." She chose the courage to live. Even though these two women confronted different circumstances, the love they and all survivors received from family, friends and supporters plays a crucial role when they pass through the tunnel of pain and despair to find courage and hope. Yuni had her granddaughter Jina, but many victims of sex slavery don't have any surviving family members, as was the case for the two halmonis in this play. Who can love these halmonis, as Jina loves Yuni? The answer is each of us -- each of us who has seen the play, and each of us who chooses to face the issue of military sex slavery. Yuni decided to live on by a single thread of trust in humanity. Responsibility lies in each of us human beings to respond to Yuni's trust, irrespective of our nationality, gender or point of view.
According to the playwright Chungmi Kim, "Comfort Women" was first staged at an Off-Broadway theatre in New York in the fall of 2004. The play was included in the book "New Playwrights: The Best Plays of 2005" by Smith and Kraus. In May 2005, a Korean version of the play, titled "NABI," was presented at the Seoul Theatre Festival. Director Eunmi Bang established her own Nabi Theatre Company in the fall of 2005. The company has since performed the play about 200 times in Korea before being invited to perform it in Toronto and Vancouver this past fall. Hanuree Drama Club, a Greater Vancouver local theatre group, produced the performances in Coquitlam. According to Marketing Director Kevin Sung, the Club has 19 years of history and its members are primarily Korean Canadians. For this production, over 20 members of Hanuree Drama Club worked with 7 cast and 4 staff members of the Nabi Theatre Company. In the audience were not only Korean Canadians but also Canadians of European, Chinese, Japanese and other descent. It was significant that multicultural Vancouver hosted this production, which will raise awareness about the unresolved issue of the military sex slavery throughout the world. I would like to see more performances held outside of Korea, especially in Japan.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Peace Quilting, and a Poem on Happiness
Kyoko Hara attended Bonekai last week and kindly presented her Peace Quilting project. Kyoko Hara is one of the members of White Rock Group, a friend organization of Peace Philosophy Centre.
Scroll down to under Kyoko's Japanese message. It is a poem by John Trudell shared by Mariko Kage at Bonenkai party last week.
クリスマスも近づき、皆さんお忙しく過ごされていることと思います。 12月6日（土）に、ピースフィロソフィー・センターの乗松聡子さん宅で忘年会があり、ホワイトロックの会代表（？）で、参加してきました。 それぞれの活動報告あり、歌あり、楽器演奏あり、ポエムあり、ダンスあり、、、、のとても楽しく元気の出る集いでした。 ホワイトロックの会からは、現在進行中の「平和をつなぐキルト」の企画の途中経過報告とパッチワーク募集の宣伝をさせていただきました。 励ましをいただくと共に、この場に作られたパッチワークを持ってきてくださった方々もおられました。 感謝します。 参加者の一人、鹿毛真理子さんが朗読してくださった詩が、とてもすてきなものだったので、クリスマスプレゼントとして皆さんにも是非ご紹介させていただきたいと思います。
"One of the colors"
Happiness is how we feel about ourselves
the good we think
the good we feel
the good we do
we are part of the dreamtime
happiness is one of the colors
there are shadow casters who trick us about happiness
we are taught to wish for things to make us happy
we are not taught to dream for happiness itself
we can't buy happiness
we can't sell it
we can't steal it
we can't borrow it
and we can't capture it
but we can create it
love can't bring us happiness
but happiness can bring us to love
power can't bring us happiness
but happiness can show us power
on the line of what is real and what really isn't
dream for happiness
somewhere between heart and mind
the spirit of life can be seen
happiness comes and awaits dream
John Trudell, poet
「平和をつなぐキルト」に、どうぞご協力をお願いいたします。 日本の日高桂子さん（キルトで九条を作る会）のグループからも、協力の申し出をしていただきました。 布を切って、直線縫いをするだけの簡単な作業です。 わからない方は、出張・ご指導いたしますので、どうぞご連絡ください。（whiterock@peacephilosophy.com) 私たちにできる、小さな平和のためのアピールをしていきましょう。 それでは、皆さん素敵なクリスマスをお過ごしください。 原 京子
If you are interested in participating Kyoko's Peace Quilting project, contact whiterock@peacephilosophy.com.
Scroll down to under Kyoko's Japanese message. It is a poem by John Trudell shared by Mariko Kage at Bonenkai party last week.
クリスマスも近づき、皆さんお忙しく過ごされていることと思います。 12月6日（土）に、ピースフィロソフィー・センターの乗松聡子さん宅で忘年会があり、ホワイトロックの会代表（？）で、参加してきました。 それぞれの活動報告あり、歌あり、楽器演奏あり、ポエムあり、ダンスあり、、、、のとても楽しく元気の出る集いでした。 ホワイトロックの会からは、現在進行中の「平和をつなぐキルト」の企画の途中経過報告とパッチワーク募集の宣伝をさせていただきました。 励ましをいただくと共に、この場に作られたパッチワークを持ってきてくださった方々もおられました。 感謝します。 参加者の一人、鹿毛真理子さんが朗読してくださった詩が、とてもすてきなものだったので、クリスマスプレゼントとして皆さんにも是非ご紹介させていただきたいと思います。
"One of the colors"
Happiness is how we feel about ourselves
the good we think
the good we feel
the good we do
we are part of the dreamtime
happiness is one of the colors
there are shadow casters who trick us about happiness
we are taught to wish for things to make us happy
we are not taught to dream for happiness itself
we can't buy happiness
we can't sell it
we can't steal it
we can't borrow it
and we can't capture it
but we can create it
love can't bring us happiness
but happiness can bring us to love
power can't bring us happiness
but happiness can show us power
on the line of what is real and what really isn't
dream for happiness
somewhere between heart and mind
the spirit of life can be seen
happiness comes and awaits dream
John Trudell, poet
「平和をつなぐキルト」に、どうぞご協力をお願いいたします。 日本の日高桂子さん（キルトで九条を作る会）のグループからも、協力の申し出をしていただきました。 布を切って、直線縫いをするだけの簡単な作業です。 わからない方は、出張・ご指導いたしますので、どうぞご連絡ください。（whiterock@peacephilosophy.com) 私たちにできる、小さな平和のためのアピールをしていきましょう。 それでは、皆さん素敵なクリスマスをお過ごしください。 原 京子
If you are interested in participating Kyoko's Peace Quilting project, contact whiterock@peacephilosophy.com.
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Bonenkai was a huge success!
Dear friends and colleagues,
It was a magical evening. Thank you so much for coming. For those who couldn't make it, we still felt your presence.
I just mentally counted and figured we actually had 60 people! We had downsized but somehow everyone looked comfortable and the house didn't look small at all. Thanks for the great food and drinks! Somebody left a ceramic plate with brown rings on it. Let me know if it's yours.
The 'peace sharing' time was so inspiring and fun. Thanks for all your contributions of music, stories and presentations - Mike, Minoru,Lorraine, Mihoko, Susan, Clover group, Kyoko and White Rock group,Chihiro and Kay, Sayuri and Dunc, Norman, Mariko and her amazing kids,Tomo, Katsuko and Eiichiro Ochiai, Thekla, Kozue, Arc, and all the other informal sharing and mingling throughout the evening, which empowered and filled each of our heart with love and renewed determination for our work for peace.
The day before our event Dr. Shuichi Kato, who was among the nine intellectuals and authors who started the Article 9 Association in 2004,died at age 89. Kato spoke at Vancouver Save Article 9's launching event in May 2005. Kato's group successfully networked more than 7,000citizens' organizations working for preserving the peace constitution. Japan gained the constitution which included Article 9, the war-renouncing clause after the wars of Asia-Pacific in which Japan caused deaths and suffering to millions of people in Asia and beyond. It was very special to be able to give tribute to Kato during our event. Thank you Mihoko for sharing your memory of him.
I look forward to your comments and feedback (English or Japanese please) on last night and above all I wish you a restful and loving holiday time to you all. I look forward to more sharing in the new year.
Lots of love,
Satoko
It was a magical evening. Thank you so much for coming. For those who couldn't make it, we still felt your presence.
I just mentally counted and figured we actually had 60 people! We had downsized but somehow everyone looked comfortable and the house didn't look small at all. Thanks for the great food and drinks! Somebody left a ceramic plate with brown rings on it. Let me know if it's yours.
The 'peace sharing' time was so inspiring and fun. Thanks for all your contributions of music, stories and presentations - Mike, Minoru,Lorraine, Mihoko, Susan, Clover group, Kyoko and White Rock group,Chihiro and Kay, Sayuri and Dunc, Norman, Mariko and her amazing kids,Tomo, Katsuko and Eiichiro Ochiai, Thekla, Kozue, Arc, and all the other informal sharing and mingling throughout the evening, which empowered and filled each of our heart with love and renewed determination for our work for peace.
The day before our event Dr. Shuichi Kato, who was among the nine intellectuals and authors who started the Article 9 Association in 2004,died at age 89. Kato spoke at Vancouver Save Article 9's launching event in May 2005. Kato's group successfully networked more than 7,000citizens' organizations working for preserving the peace constitution. Japan gained the constitution which included Article 9, the war-renouncing clause after the wars of Asia-Pacific in which Japan caused deaths and suffering to millions of people in Asia and beyond. It was very special to be able to give tribute to Kato during our event. Thank you Mihoko for sharing your memory of him.
I look forward to your comments and feedback (English or Japanese please) on last night and above all I wish you a restful and loving holiday time to you all. I look forward to more sharing in the new year.
Lots of love,
Satoko
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