Representatives of the Japanese Committee of the World Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRP/Japan) met with Dr. Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury, on September 21 at a Tokyo hotel when he was in Japan for the 150th anniversary celebration on September 23 of Nippon Sei Ko Kai (Anglican Episcopal Church in Japan).

Archbishop Williams was accompanied from the U.K. by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Timothy Stevens, bishop of Leicester, and two other representatives of the Church of England. The WCRP/Japan representatives included Rev. Nichiko Niwano, president of both WCRP/Japan and Rissho Kosei-kai; Rev. Keishi Miyamoto, WCRP/Japan's secretary-general and the leader of Myochi-kai; and Mr. Mimasaka Higuchi, WCRP/Japan's auditor and an honorary president of the Japan Muslim Association; and the primate of Nippon Sei Ko Kai, the Most Rev. Nathaniel Makoto Uematsu, with other representatives of Nippon Sei Ko Kai.

At the beginning of the meeting, Dr. Williams praised WCRP's peace activities and showed his understanding of the need for interreligious dialogue and cooperation. He stressed the crucial importance of religious leaders gathering to share ideas in the light of faith on how to solve the environmental crises facing humanity.

President Niwano expressed pleasure in his second meeting with Dr. Williams since Pope Benedict's inaugural Mass at the Vatican in 2005. He said he was delighted that WCRP activities had given them the opportunity of a reunion.

Rev. Miyamoto explained that WCRP/Japan sponsored the World Religious Leaders Summit for Peace in Hokkaido before the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit last year and conveyed the religious leaders' proposals for peace to the G8 leaders. In reply, Dr. Williams explained that in degrading the environment, human beings also do violence to themselves. He said he hoped WCRP would help heal the wounds of all who suffer.

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