First Meeting for Japan‘s Ministry of Peace

On Monday, Sep 19 2005, we held the first meeting for Japan's Ministry of Peace at Meiji University, Ochanomizu, Tokyo. It was organized mostly by myself. I was not able to publicize the event before I left Japan to attend a related meeting in Washington DC so, I was so surprised to find more than 100 participants from 10 prefectures in Japan attending on the day. People from Okinawa and Nagasaki were among them. They came all the way just for this meeting!

I guess that people wanted to listen to Congresman Dennis Kucinich's speech which was going to be held by international call. Until the day itself I was not sure if it would go well. Thanks to my strong technical supporter Damien Andrews, it went well and we were able to call him from my cell phone and listen to him and ask him questions. He was very supportive and understanding of Japan's Constitution, especially regarding Article 9, which surprised many and made some cry.

After the landslide victory of the LDP, (Liberal Democratic Party, Japan's ruling party) at the last elecction held on Sept. 11, Japan seems to be about to lose Article 9. But I have not given up! We really can not afford to lose this battle against the neo-cons of Japan, who want make Japan an "ordinary nation", by which they mean to make Japan a country that can fight in wars abroad again. We must remain paeceful and I believe there is a way we can contribute the world without using arms or military means.

The agenda of the meeting:
1. Why form The Ministry of Peace now, a report from the US Department of Peace Conference in Washington DC, by Yumi Kikuchi
2. Japan's idea for The Ministry of Peace by Prof. Ryuji Itoh and Mr. Otsuka
3. Dennis Kucinich's introduction video prepared by Mr. Takafumi Tomita
4. Listen and talk to Dennis Kucinich in a telephone-conference, with US Congressman Dennis Kucinich, Yumi Kukuchi and Gen Morita
5. Panel Talk by Prof. Isamu Mamiya (Meiji Univ), Prof. Masaya Kobayashi (Chiba Univ.), moderator: Yumi Kikuchi (Global Peace Campaign)

The date of the next meeting is not set yet but I mean to organize another one by the end of this year and hopefuly to find several prefecture co-ordinators by then. I also started talking to several diet members (members of Congress) to attend the London Summit of the Department of Peace. It will be held from the 18-20 Oct, 2005. If anyone is interested in participating, please contact me by e-mail.

Details can be found at Peace Alliance homepage: www.thepeacealliance.org