February 2010

Rissho Kosei-kai Reconfirms Support for Arms Down! Campaign

Rissho Kosei-kai headquarters officials met February 9 to coordinate the involvement of various departments of Rissho Kosei-kai concerned with external affairs, in the Arms Down! Campaign for Shared Security, a new disarmament program launched last year by the Global Youth Network of the World Conference of Religions for Peace. The 30 officials included Rev. Yasutaka Watanabe, chair of the Board of Trustees; Rev. Yuji Numata, director of the Dharma Missions Bureau; Rev. Takeshi Kawabata, director of the General Affairs Bureau; and members of the Dharma Missions by Media Group, the External Affairs Group, the Youth Department, and Rissho Kosei-kai International.

In Japan, the Japanese Committee of Religions for Peace has promoted the worldwide petition drive since last December, and Rissho Kosei-kai's Youth Department supports the campaign.

The meeting opened with greetings by Rev. Koichi Matsumoto, director of the Youth Department, and a speech by Rev. Watanabe. Rev. Watanabe said, "It is crucial for people of religion and politics to notice and care for the socially vulnerable." He also emphasized the significance of the campaign, which calls for every country to spend less on arms and more on economic development.

In the subsequent discussion, the participants exchanged views on the campaign's further promotion in Japan.

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