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Y. Ohno: Address to World Summit 2015
Written by Hon. Yoshinori Ohno, former Minister of Defense, Japan
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Address to World Summit 2015, Seoul, Korea, August 27 to 31, 2015
This World Summit is especially significant as we commemorate the third anniversary of the passing of UPF’s founder, Rev. Sun Myung Moon.
While on earth, Rev. Moon had a strong aspiration to honor those who truly endeavored for world peace. The first award ceremony of the Sun Hak Peace Prize, akin to the Nobel Peace Prize, will take place tomorrow on August 28.
I would like to pay heartfelt tribute to the leadership of Mrs. Hak Ja Han Moon who has superbly succeeded the will of Rev. Moon after his 93-year dedication to world peace, as well as Mrs. Sun Jin Moon, who leads the UPF as its world chairperson.
Incidentally, I’m eighty years old, maybe the oldest guy in this room. Japanese are the longest living [people] in the world. The average life expectancy of Japanese men is eighty years and women, eight-seven. [Why is there a] discrepancy of seven years between men and women? In my analysis, Japan was occupied by the American forces after the Second World War. Since then, the Japanese way of life has been greatly influenced by the American way of life. As a result, Japanese women have been getting stronger and living longer.
What I really want to say is that I’m eighty years old. [which] is not [as] long [as] Japanese women live [and] I want to say that my generation had experienced the agony of the Second World War.
I was born and raised in Taipei, Formosa (Taiwan). Toward the end of the war, the U.S. Air Forces [carried out] an air raid on Taipei. I was forced to escape from Taipei into the deep mountains of Formosa. About fifty children lived separated from their family. We slept together, ate together in the assembly room of the primary school in the deep mountain. What did we eat? Sometimes we ate grasshoppers. Do you like to have your children or grand-children experience such a misery? Oh, no!
War should never be repeated. It’s essentially the act of human beings killing each other. And then, atomic bombs were dropped onto Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The war ended. We, Japanese, were the first victims of the atomic bomb, and I earnestly hope the last victims of the atomic bomb, forever. No more Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
We should try our best to keep and maintain peace and stability [in our world], through various measures. First, [through] defense power. Defense power is an essential deterrent to not being attacked. In this connection, let me say a few words, we are now discussing a security bill in the Diet.
As you know, Japan renounces war under Article 9 of its constitution. Article 9 is interpreted as follows: [Japan is] allowed to use the individual self-defense, but not allowed to use collective self-defense, although Article 51 of the United Nations Charter clearly mentions both individual and collective self-defense is an inherent right (droit naturel) of [individuals] and nations.
The recent change [in how] Article 9 [is interpreted], in my analysis, reflects the change in the security environment in the world. The world is getting smaller and smaller due to the development of communications, transportation and other modern technologies. However, the world has not become one. On the contrary, the world is getting more and more diversified. The world is filled with different intentions, objectives, and assumptions. In addition, war itself has changed. When terrorists attacked the World Trade Center in New York on September 11, 2001, then U.S. president, George W. Bush, [said] “it’s a new war.”
In the past, war was [characterized by] countries fighting against each other with, for example, the ambition of territorial expansion. But the new war is where through international cooperation, countries are fighting against terrorists and otherthreats, particularly nuclear weapons, and getting rid of [those weapons]. Therefore, international cooperation is important for international peacekeeping and peacemaking.
However, if Japan is allowed to use collective self-defense, [even in] a limited [way], it is quite often said that Japan might be dragged into war once again. [There is especially some] concern that Japan will become a military power [if it starts to act in] collective self-defense.
However, Japan has no intention of engaging in aggression. Absolutely [not]. For example, Japan dispatched its Self-Defense Forces to Samawah, Iraq to engage in peace-keeping operations, such as reconstructing school houses, repairing roads, purifying water, etc. When I visited Samawah as the minister of defense of Japan, people in Samawah told me, “JSDF is a dove of peace bringing peace to Samawah from the Far East.” When I went to the downtown [of the city] by car, recognizing a Japanese car, men on the street just waved to me. Of course, I waved back. There was a meeting of minds between the Iraqi people and the Japanese.
In short, defense power is necessary as a deterrent, but I have to say that defense power [can also] spark war. In [a] second [point], I’d like to stress [that] any trouble should, needless to say, be solved through diplomatic [means], [such as] through talks.
However, in order to keep, maintain peace, there is a much stronger power than defense; it is diplomatic power. This power comes from close human relations, as is clearly seen in this meeting of the Universal Peace Federation. We could [consider] this sort of human relations peace power.
Let’s push forward this peace power. In order to strengthen peace power, let’s promote an exchange of people at all levels, particularly young people. The exchange of students [between countries] is called “ambassadors from the future.” Therefore, if exchanges between students increase, “ambassadors for peace from future” will increase, and they certainly [can] bring peace on this earth.
How about [organizing] an international seminar [where] participants [can] learn the importance of human relations? How about establishing the Peace Power Bank to promote exchange between people? China is initiating the AIIB. Needless to say, investment in infrastructure, highways, dams, etc. is very important for economic progress. But investment in human beings is also extremely important. Money allocated for defense is an expense, but money allocated for strong human bonds is an investment. It is wonderful that the dividends we receive from investment in human relations are “Peace.”
In concluding my remarks, let me say once again:
- War should never be repeated.
- No more atomic bomb
- Let’s place the greatest importance on the human bonds.
[With all that] said, the question remains, who can [lead] the peace power initiative?
No doubt, it’s UPF.
For more information about the World Summit, click here.