Aspiration for the Memorial Service for All Who Perished in War
The Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha Buddhist sect, after the conclusion of World War II, has been
conducting annual memorial services at the Hongwanji and Otani Mausoleum in Kyoto for those
who perished in war. In addition to these services, we have been observing the Memorial Service for
All Who Perished in War at the Chidorigafuchi National Memorial Park, Chiyoda-ward, Tokyo,
since 1981.
The phrase “All Who Perished in War” contains our sentiment toward all victims in the world
who lost their precious lives due to repeated warfare by human beings.
We conduct the annual service at Chidorigafuchi on September 18, the date of the Lake Liutiao
Incident, also known as the Mukden Incident, an early event that led to the Manchurian Incident,
which was the preface to the Asia-Pacific War that lasted for 15 years.
The Chidorigafuchi National Memorial Park was established in 1959, and it is where the ashesof approximately three hundred fifty thousand people are interred, mostly from the Asia-PacificWar, including both military and civilian, that could not be returned to their families.
Considering these circumstances, going beyond nationality, principle and policy, this Park with
its atmosphere of solemnity and dignity, should be regarded as the appropriate place where we pay
our homage to all who perished in war.
On April 15, 1995, the Fiftieth Anniversary of the End of the Second World War and Memorialfor All Who Perished in the War was conducted at the Hongwanji, and the Monshu (the head priestand religious leader) of the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha delivered his official message. In it, theMonshu stated, “…in front of the Buddha and our forebears, we cannot help but feel deep shameand repentance for the fact that we actively cooperated in promoting the war under the name of theBuddha Dharma, disregarding the teaching of our Founder…” which clarified the responsibility of
our religious organization concerning the war and expressed our solid resolution to live as Jodo
Shinshu Buddhists who pursue world peace.
On May 24, 2004, the Hongwanji Board of Governors issued decrees to express their official
view as to how the Hongwanji should address and cope with problems from the war that remain.
The decrees reconfirm the Monshu’s message as follows: “During the war, under the tremendously
strict legal control that was emphasized in accord with development of the political totalitarianismand militarism, our religious organization cooperated with the military regime and gave oursupport to the war that was begun as a national policy.” Further, they declare, “Out of regret for ourown history, in order to attend to the aspiration of our founder Shinran Shonin who wishes ‘May
peace and tranquility prevail throughout the world, and may the Buddhist teaching spread!’, weresolve to further our anti-war and peace movements in order to build a peaceful world without war
through interchange and communication with the people of the world.”
This being our position, the significance of our conducting the Memorial for All Those Who
Perished in War at the Chidorigafuchi National Memorial Park is none other than our expression ofregret for our mistake in supporting Japan’s war of aggression and our renewed resolution for peacein order to build world that is free of war.
It is our hope that this Memorial Service will serve as the opportunity to remember all those
who perished due to war, and for everyone in their own way to promote activities for eliminating
war and building world peace.
The Chidorigafuchi Annual Memorial Service Committee