December 2009

"Arms Down! Campaign" Opens in Japan

In December the new global "Arms Down! Campaign for Shared Security" was launched in Japan. The campaign was organized by the Global Youth Network of the World Conference of Religions for Peace and calls on every nation to divert at least 10 percent of its military spending to achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 as well as to obtain 50 million signatures from around the world to petitions calling for achievement of the MDGs.

Many Dharma Centers in Japan of Rissho Kosei-kai, a member organization of Religions for Peace, energetically took part in the campaign.

On December 24 the Marugame Dharma Center in Kagawa Prefecture, southern Japan, collected signatures at a Christmas concert in Alpha Anabuki Hall. Five of the center's youth members set up a booth in the hall and promoted the campaign to concertgoers.

The Marugame Dharma Center also set up a booth at the main approach to Zentsuji Temple, where many people came for their first worship of the year. During January 1-3, members of the center explained the campaign's significance to temple visitors and urged them to sign the petition.

On December 27, President-designate Kosho Niwano also signed one of the petitions, and it was sent to the director of the Young Group of Sumida Dharma Center in Tokyo, who chairs Rissho Kosei-kai's executive committee for the campaign.

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