Tokyo, Japan - UPF-Japan organized the 13th Peace Diplomats Forum on the theme of "Security" in Tokyo on December 8, and around 40 experts from various fields, including several diplomats from the embassies in Japan, participated.
The forum was begun with welcoming remarks by Rev. Gentaro Kajikuri, Co-Chair of UPF-Japan. Referring to Pax Romana and Pax Britannica, he emphasized that peace during these periods was assured by force. "Although nonviolent philosophy has had significant influence in making peace in some sense, considering the current international situation, we cannot ignore the necessity of force in peacekeeping."
The keynote speech was given by Gen. Takahiro Ninomiya, a Special Assistant to the chairman of the Diet Members Council for Comprehensive Security, a non-partisan parliamentarian group composed of over 150 Japanese Diet Members. The theme of the speech was "Collaboration between the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and Japan: Toward Peacebuilding and International Cooperation."
Having participated as a Japanese representative in the Annual Session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly held in Bucharest, Romania, in October 2011, Gen. Ninomiya gave reports on the issues discussed in the Session such as on the assurance of peaceful transition in Afghanistan and Libya where NATO has been engaged.
Also mentioning that the Pacific War broke out exactly 70 years earlier, he pointed out that the current Japanese people's lack of interest in NATO, a military organization, is due to their bitter memories of the World War II. He lamented this situation and indicated the importance of military alliance for international peace and security.
After the keynote speech, a former member of the House of Representative made a comment. "In order to achieve peace, food policy is as important as military assistance," he said as he explained about the Japanese agricultural policy.
