HumanRights.com

The International Foundation for Human Rights sponsors a website, http://www.humanrights.com which includes videos and other information resources on the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. You may order a a free DVD and information package at the above website, or by email info@humanrights.com or telephone +1.323.661.1144 or fax +1.323.661.1194.

Former POW at Aso Mining comes to Japan

Ex-Australian POW, son of Scottish POW disappointed at no apology from Aso over wartime labor

http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/ex-australian-pow-son-of-scottish-pow-disappointed-at-no-apology-from-aso-over-wartime-labor

I remember Yukihisa Fujita talked about this initiative during our meeting on June 2nd. Major Japanese media does not seem to be reporting this event.

Lawmaker takes 9/11 doubts global

The Japan Times [June 17, 2008] reports on Diet member Yukihisa Fujita's efforts to bring the doubts about the official account of the Sept. 11 2001 events to global attention. See: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20080617zg.html

The book Seeking 9/11 Truth at Japan's Parliament—Can Obama Really Change the United States? co-authored by Fujita and others including Yumi Kikuchi is described on wikipedia. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seeking_9/11_Truth_at_Japan's_Parliament

The "Global Issues: Japan" class met with Mr. Fujita and Ms. Kikuchi on June 2, 2009 at Fujita's Tokyo office.

Photo Albums by Satoko

Three photo albums for the course "Global Issues: Japan" are posted on the course. For links to these albums, CLICK HERE , then follow the path: INTL 5600 - W2 S2 2009 Global Issues in Japan > Discussions > › D 10 Photos & Videos > Photo Albums by Satoko

Please note that a Webster University username and password is required to access the above link. These photos are for your enjoyment and not for publishing or sharing in public space like Internet. Please contact Satoko if you want to use any of these photos for anything.

Upper house adopts resolution for nuclear-free world

Upper house adopts resolution for nuclear-free world
Wednesday 17th June, 10:31 AM JST
http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/upper-house-adopts-resolution-for-nuclear-free-world

TOKYO - Japan’s House of Councillors unanimously adopted a resolution in a plenary session Wednesday recommending the government strengthen itsefforts toward eliminating nuclear arms in the world. This follows the previous day’s endorsement of a similar resolution on the part of theHouse of Representatives. Parliamentary endorsement of these resolutions was prompted by U.S. President Barack Obama’s call in April for a nuclear-free world and then by North Korea’s nuclear test May 25. The upper house resolution says Japan, as the only country attacked with atomic bombs, has spearheaded an antinuclear movement and ‘‘has the responsibility tofurther step up the campaign.’’

Satoko Norimatsu

Photo Album: Global Issues Japan

A photo album for the "Global Issues: Japan" has been posted on the course. For links to these album, CLICK HERE , then follow the path: INTL 5600 - W2 S2 2009 Global Issues in Japan > Discussions > D 10 Photos & Videos > Photo Album: Global Issues Japan by Roy Tamashiro

Please note that a Webster University username and password is required to access the above link. These photos are for your enjoyment and not for publishing or sharing on the Internet.

Paper Hands Presentation in Hiroshima

As Ambassador-Delegates for the Global Art Project for Peace (USA), Webster University students present a packet of Paper Hands to The Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation. June 9, 2009 at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.

Peace Philosophy Centre's Recent Posts

The following recent posts on Peace Philosophy Centre's blog may be of interest to you. Please feel free to forward.

• Japanese MP's apology to victims of Pingdingshan Massacre:
  http://peacephilosophy.blogspot.com/2009/06/survivor-of-pingdingshan-massacre.html
  (English, Chinese and Japanese)
  

• The survivor replies: (in Chinese and Japanese, with English summary ) http://peacephilosophy.blogspot.com/2009/06/survivor-of-pingdingshan-massacre.html

• The President of Japan's National Defense University apologizes for Japan's war-time aggression (in Chinese with English translation)
  http://peacephilosophy.blogspot.com/2009/06/president-of-japanese-defence.html

• Canadian Writer Joy Kogawa's speech in Toronto that refers to Japan's aggression (In English with Chinese translation)
  http://peacephilosophy.blogspot.com/2009/06/joy-kogawas-speech-for-article-9-event.html

• Report of the first Article 9 Event in Toronto (in English) http://peacephilosophy.blogspot.com/2009/06/chikako-nagayamas-article-in-nikkei.html

Many thanks to Arc Han who did all the translation between Chinese and English.

In peace,

Satoko

Paper Hands For Peace Presentation

Chugoku Shinbun (Hiroshima, Japan) reported (June 10, 2009 edition) on the Paper Hands for Peace Presentation at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Webster University students reported on their distribution of these Paper Hands in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima, and presented some of the paper hands to Mr. Steven Leeper, Chairman of the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation.

[click on photo to enlarge]

The article was reprinted on the web by Hiroshima Peace Media Center. See below:

• Click here for English version
  
• Click here for Japanese version

Below is image of the original article published in Chugoku Shinbun:

Obamajority

News to share -

Hiroshima launches 'Obamajority' campaign for world without nukes
http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/hiroshima-launches-obamajority-campaign-for-world-without-nukes

By the way, I highly recommend www.japantoday.com for news about Japan.

Also, www.japanfocus.org for articles and journals on Japan-related issues. You can search by keywords and authors. You can sign up so they send you a weekly update.

Back to Hiroshima/Nagasaki, here is the website of Mayors for Peace.
http://www.mayorsforpeace.org/english/index.html

Check if your city is a member, and talk to your mayor if it isn't. The site also has rich resources on anti-nuclear movement. The Hiroshima/Nagasaki Protocol, which Steve Leeper was talking about, is there too.

Here is Miyoko Matsubara's story. We met her and heard her testimonial in Hiroshima.
http://www.wagingpeace.org/articles/1999/00/00_matsubara_spirit-hiroshima.htm

Video: Paper Hands for Peace Presentations

Webster University students in the course "Global Issues: Japan" were Peace Ambassadors for the Global Art Project as they visited Universities, Museums and other organizations in their travel through Japan in June 2009.

Resources to share

Some students expressed interest in visiting WAM, Women's Active Museum, the museum in Tokyo (near Peace Boat) that is dedicated to supporting victims of military sex slavery.

Information in English, hours and maps are at:
http://www.wam-peace.org/english/

They may not have a lot of information in English, so if you are going, let me know then I might be able to arrange somebody to greet you and answer your questions in English.

Some expressed interest in the Hiroshima/Nagasaki Tour of Ritsumeikan University and AU (American University).

Here are links.
American University Nuclear Studies Institute
http://american.edu/cas/history/institutes/nuclear-studies.cfm

Peace Philosophy Centre's blog
http://peacephilosophy.blogspot.com/2009/04/invitation-to-canadian-students-to-join.html

If you are interested in participating in this program, for which you can get credit through American University, let me know.

See these articles to learn more about the U.S. decision to drop the bombs and about the crew of Enola Gay, including Paul Tibbetts and Robert Lewis whom we talked about with Koko yesterday.

Defending the Indefensible: A Meditation on the Life of Hiroshima Pilot Paul Tibbets, Jr.
http://www.japanfocus.org/-Peter_J_-Kuznick/2642

The Decision to Risk the Future: Harry Truman, the Atomic Bomb and the Apocalyptic Narrative
http://www.japanfocus.org/-Peter_J_-Kuznick/2479

For information on "White Light, Black Rain" by Steven Okazaki,
http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/whitelightblackrain/

It will be a very special day at Hiroshima tomorrow.

Satoko

Koko Kondo

Koko Kondo, author of "Hiroshima - 60 Years of Memory" is a Hiroshima hibakusha and a daughter of Rev. Kiyoshi Tanimoto, one of the six survivors interviewed in John Hersey's "Hiroshima."

We are extremely fortunate today to have her visit us at our hotel.

Unfortunately her book is in Japanese. I found the following information about Koko.

http://www.humiliationstudies.org/documents/evelin/KokoKondo.pdf

http://www.rferl.org/content/Article/1060469.html

Google "Koko Kondo" and you will get more information. And please do read John Hersey's "Hiroshima" if you haven't had a chance. It is the first book that allowed U.S. citizens to learn the human effects of the bomb. It is regarded as a classic textbook of Hiroshima and is used by many teachers as a textbook at schools. It is easily found at the university and local libraries.

Satoko

President of Defense University of Japan apologizes to China

Makoto Iokibe, President of Defense University in Japan admitted the Japanese war against China was one of aggression, apologized, and stressed on the importance of Chinese and Japanese youth exchange. Iokie's statement is very little reported in Japan and I got information that he has been under right-wingers' attacks. My Chinese colleague Arc Zhen Han translated the Chinese report into English.

http://peacephilosophy.blogspot.com/2009/06/president-of-japanese-defence.html

This still needs to be edited but I wanted to share with you first.

Satoko

APA Hotel Group Sponsors Revisionist History

The APA Horikawadori Hotel, in Kyoto [where the class is staying, June 4-7], is a member of the APA Hotel group that promotes a revisionist view of history. In each hotel room, there is a book titled The Shocking Truth About Modern History, a collection of essays from a contest sponsored by the APA Hotel Group. One of the essays is by former Air Self-Defense Force Chief of Staff Gen. Toshio Tamogami, who was fired from his post after his connections with nationalists like the APA chain, and former Prime Minister Abe were revealed. See: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20081120f1.html

How do you feel about patronizing a hotel that advances these views?