Tokyo, Japan - UPF-Japan organized the 11th Peace Diplomats Forum in Tokyo on March 31, and Dr. Tsutomu Mizota, former Director of the UNICEF Office in Japan and Professor Emeritus of Nagasaki University, gave a keynote speech on the theme, “Human Security-Based Peacebuilding: UN Reform with an Interfaith Approach.”
Despite the difficult situation after the East-Japan earthquake, more than 50 participants attended the Forum, including 16 senior diplomats from embassies in Japan, several former Japanese Ambassadors, and leaders from various fields.
The Forum began with a silent prayer for the victims of the recent earthquake. Then, Mr. Seiichi Kikuya, Secretary General of UPF-Japan, gave a report on UPF-Japan’s recent activities, especially focusing on the disaster relief activities after the earthquake being undertaken by the volunteer team of Youth Ambassadors for Peace. [See report.] He also gave an explanation about the interreligious council which was proposed by Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the Founder of UPF.
Then, Dr. Tsutomu Mizota presented his proposal on the United Nations reform. The main point was to establish a “Human Security Council" (HSC) within the UN in order to deal with the issues beyond borders and to establish a preliminary model of an interreligious council in HSC.
---Click here for details of his proposal---
This keynote speech was followed by Amb. Tetsuya Endo’s special report on the present situation of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, which is currently the hottest subject in Japan and overseas. Amb. Endo is a former Deputy Head of the Japan Atomic Energy Commission and former Ambassador to New Zealand.
“There is very small possibility of a nuclear reaction taking place due to the accident in Fukushima,” said Amb. Endo. “What happened in Fukushima was a meltdown of the fuel rod and is different from what had happened in Chernobyl,” he explained.