Muse No. 20: Japanese Citizens’ Network of Museums for Peace
Newsletter: December, 2008
The Editorial Office: The Center of the Tokyo Raids and War Damages
Masahiko Yamabe
1-5-4 Kitasuna, Koto-ku, Tokyo 136-0073 Japan
Tel: 03-5857-5631

Fax: 03-5683-3326

Editor: Kazuyo Yamane, Masahiko Yamabe, Ikuro Anzai
Translators:

Nicole Kato, Junko Morioka, Yoshiko Tanigawa, Kazuyo Yamane
Illustrator: Erico Tosaki

The following is news on museums for peace in Japan and other countries.

Report of the 6th International

including many directors and staffs ofConference of Museums for Peacedomestic peace-related museums, students

Ikuro Anzai, Chairperson of the Organizing

and citizens. Not only the Conference wasCommittee

the greatest in the number of participants inth

The 6 International Conference ofthe history, but also it was remarkable in its

Museums for Peace was held successfully

contents including 7 commemorativewith fertile results during 6-10 Octoberspeeches (Peter van den Dungen [General

2008 at Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto

Coordinator of the International Network of

University of Art and Design, andMuseums for Peace], Kate Dewes

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. In[Consultative Adviser to the UN Secretary

addition to the Proceedings of theGeneral on Disarmament Issues], Hiromu

Conference, the participants from foreign

Nonaka [Former Head of the Cabinet ofcountries received two books written in

Japan], Ikuro Anzai [Chairperson of the

English, which are “Museums for Peace

Organizing Committee], Kiyoshi Amemiya

Worldwide” edited by Kazuyo Yamane and[President of Yamanashi Hitachi“Museums for Peace: Past, Present andConstruction Machinery Co. Lyd.], Hiroshi

Future” co-edited by Ikuro Anzai, Joyce

Senju [President of Kyoto University of Art

Apsel and Syed Sikander Mehdi. The

and Design], and Tadatoshi Akiba [Mayor

former book is now being translated intoof the City of Hiroshima], 19 interest groupJapanese by Dr. Yamane.

sessions on varieties of themes, 5 symposia

In addition to approximately 70

and panel discussions, a meeting of an

overseas participants from 24 countries on 5

A-bomb survivor’s testimony,

continents, the Conference was attended bypost-conference panels in Tokyo andseveral thousands participants in total

Matsue, cultural presentations at Kyoto

1University of Art and Design (Kyogen

in 1995 which opened a new pathway[Japanese traditional drama], Wadaiko

approaching to the total abolition of nuclear[Japanese traditional drum performance],

weapons. In Dr. Betty Readon’s session onpeace education, there were lively
discussions about the role of peacemuseums in the field of peace education. In
addition to the exhibitions of historical facts
on wars and conflicts, plenty of experienceswere reported on the activities in the field ofart performance and entertainment, whichsuggested that it is becoming important toenrich the activities of peace museums
through the collaboration with varieties ofEricomethods that can reach people’s heart.
There also were impressive

tea ceremony, and Kagura [Japanese

discussions on the role of peace museums in

Shinto’s liturgical drama]), and reception

reconciliation especially in theparties at Kyoto and Hiroshima. Many ofcommemorative symposium chaired by

the overseas participants enjoyed theProfessor Akihiko Kimijima of Ritsumeikan

Conference with highly favorable

University, in which different cases ofimpressions.

reconciliatory efforts in Vietnam, Pakistan,

As to the Conference theme “peace

Guatemala and Korea were vividly reported

literacy,” there were very active discussions

after an excellent keynote presentation by

from different points of view which are to

Dr. Takashi Yoshida of Western Michigan

be further developed and enriched through

University. Mr. Akio Komatsu, President of

uninterrupted international collaborations ofKomatsu Electric Industry Co. Ltd.,

peace educationalists. The concept of

directing Human Nature Science Institute“peace literacy” is, in a sense, aFoundation, organized a session entitledfundamental capacity to understand what is“From Confrontation to Reconciliation”,

going on in the world in the context ofwhich was followed by a post-conference

peace, and to put into practice what she/hesession on the 11th of October in Matsue

thinks necessary to resolve peace issues. For

city focusing on the reconciliation between

this capacity to be actually shown, it is

Korea and Japan.

indispensable for us to have confidence that

The success of the General Meetingsuch social problems can be resolved by theof the International Network of Museums

joint efforts of citizens, which was richly

for Peace held on the 7th and 8th of Octoberdemonstrated by the impressive keynote

was another important result of the

speech by Dr. Kate Dewes who talked

Conference. The Network did not have any

enthusiastically about such effective

statute to date, but the General Meeting

movements including World Court Project

finally decided the statute, official logo,2

new Board Members, and action plans,

make the young bud sprouted in thiswhich are expected to play an important

Conference fully bloom in the nearest futurerole to promote activities of the Network.

by tackling with difficult problems that

The official logo adopted by the General

confront us in collaboration and further

Meeting was the one used for the 6thdevelop our Network along the right lines

International Conference of Museums forbased fundamentally on what we decided in

Peace, which was originally designed by Mr.

the General Meeting. Especially, the newly

Yusuke Saito, an art student of Tohoku

established Executive and Advisory Board

University of Art and Design who made an
entry for the logo design contest for the 6

are expected to establish a stable financialthbasis that can enable the Network to have a

Conference.

secretariat office which will hopefully be

During the Conference, a number offunctioning as a base camp for

special exhibitions were concurrently

implementing our action plans.

carried out, which was also unprecedented.
There were the Exhibitions of the Museums

International Network of Museums forfor Peace Worldwide prepared by the

Peacestudents of the College of Social Sciences

Board Membersof Ritsumeikan University under the
instruction of Professor Ryotaro Katsura,

General Coordinator

the Vice-Director of Kyoto Museum forPeter van den Dungen, Bradford Univ.,UK

World Peace; Exhibition of International

http://jp.f41.mail.yahoo.co.jp/ym/Show

School Textbooks prepared by the students

Letter?box=Inbox&MsgId=9117_74510

of Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University;

926_1539139_1683_72449_0_45718_10

Special Exhibition on the Works of Late

0004_893468148&bodyPart=2&tnef=&

Iccho Ito, Ex-Mayor of Nagasaki;

YY=86797&order=down&sort=date&p

Exhibition of Traditional Kyoto Doll

os=0&view=a&head=b&Idx=0

produced by a distinguished artisan Mr.
Yukio Kataoka who is one of the members

Executive Membersof “Friends for Peace”, a citizens’ volunteer

1. Zulfiqar Ali, Director, Children's

working at Kyoto Museum for World Peace,

Museum for Peace and Human Rights“Peace Mask Exhibition” organized by Ms.

(Pakistan)

Kim Myong Hee, a Korean artist living in

2. Ikuro Anzai, Kyoto Museum for World

Kyoto, and so on.

Peace, Ritsumeikan University (Japan)

Needless to say, fundamental

3. Joyce Apsel,

New York University andsuccess of the Conference is the fruit of theRightsWorks International (USA)efforts of all the people who jointly

4. Steve Fryburg, Director, Dayton

cooperated for preparation includingInternational Peace Museum (USA)unselfish voluntary activities of as many as

5. Sajid Ishaq, Chairman-Interfaith League

70 students and members of “Friends for

Against Poverty of Interfaith League

Peace.” The important task for us is how toAgainst Poverty (Pakistan)3

6. Yeongwhan Kim, Center for Peace

Disarmament Matters (New Zealand)Museum (Korea)

10. Shahriar Khateri, Director of Tehran

7. Balkrishna Kurvey, No More Hiroshima:

Peace Museum (Iran)

No More Nagasaki: Peace Museum (India)

11. Anne C. Kjelling, Head Librarian of

8. Gerard Lössbroek (Netherlands); Pax

Norwegian Nobel Institute (Norway)

Christi International's contact person forack@nobel.no

INMP (Belgium)

12. Sultan Somjee, Ethnographer and9. Roger Mayou, Director, International Red

Founder Community Peace Museums of

Cross and Red Crescent Museum

Kenya (Kenya)(Switzerland)
10. Iratxe Momoitio, Director, Gernika
Peace Museum (Spain)

Logo of the International Networkof Museums for Peace

11. Carol Rank, Senior Lecturer, Centre for
Peace and Reconciliation Studies
Coventry University (UK)
12. Lucetta Sanguinetti, Town Councillor ofCollegno Municipality (Italy)
Advisory Board
1. Clive Barrett, Peace Museum (UK) Vice
Chairperson of The Peace Museum,
BradfordINMPc.barrett@leedsmet.ac.uk

The International Network of

2. Janet Gerson, Co-Director of Peace

Museums for Peace

Education Center, Teachers College

This logo was designed by a student ofColumbia University

Tohoku University of Art and Design

3. Anatoly Ionesov, Director ofnamed Yusuke Saito, who intended toInternational Museums of Peace andexpress through the overlapping pink andSolidarity(Uzbekistan)

blue feathery, heart- shaped objects that

4. Akihiko Kimijima, Kyoto Museum forpeace can not be achieved by an individual

World Peace (Japan)

but by cooperation among individuals with

5. Syed Sikander Mehdi, Peace Researcher

different sense of values, and that peace is(Pakistan)something fragile which must be cultivated

6. Erik Somers , Netherlands Institute forcarefully with love. He chose blue as a

War Documentation(Netherlands)

symbol of earth, and pink as a symbol of

7. Maria Villarreal, peace researcher

love and friendship. He also hoped to(Guatemala)express gradual and steady spread of peace

8. Kazuyo Yamane, Grassroots House

wave by the gradations of pink and blue.

(Japan)The alphabetical letters under the figure is

9. Kate Dewes,

Member of the UN

tentative. The logo is going to be finally

Secretary General's Advisory Board on

4completed by the hand of professional(1) In Japan

designers.

Osaka Human Rights Museum (Liberty
Osaka) founded in 1985 in Osaka
Kochi Liberty and People’s Rights MuseumstReport on the 61 Annual DPI/NGO

founded in 1990 in Kochi

Conference

Human Rights and Peace Museum

UNESCO, Paris held on 3-5 September,

Fukuyama City founded in 1994 in2008

Hiroshima
Sakai City Peace and Human Rights
Museum founded in 1994 in Osaka

Kazuyo Yamane: Grassroots House, JapanThe Peace, Human Rights and Childrenst

The 61 Annual DPI/NGO Conference wasCentre founded in 1997 and closed in 2006

held at the UNESCO Headquarter in Paris(2) In France and Pakistan

on 3-5 September to mark the 60th

The World Centre for Peace, Freedom andanniversary of the Universal Declaration of
Human rights (UDHR).

Human Rights founded in Verdun,

Paris is the city ofFrance in 1994

its adoption in 1948. (DPI: Department of

The Children’s Museum for Peace andPublic Information)

Human Rights founded in 2001 in Karachi,

The gathering aimed

to highlight the achievements and on-going

Pakistanefforts of diverse international NGOs,

It was impressive to see some exhibits at thegrassroots civil society representatives andconference venue.

human rights defenders, in partnership withpanels of members of the drafting

the UN, Member States and other actors to

Committee formed by the UN Commission

implement the UDHR.

on Human Rights such as Eleanor Roosevelt,

Dr. Joyce Apsel of

There were big photo

New York University is the representativePeng-chun Chang (China), René Cassinof the International Network of Museums(France) and so forth on the stage.

for Peace at the annual DPI/NGO
conference held at the United Nations in

There were also twenty-five posters madeNew York.

by American students which are related toThis was the first time when

the annual conference was held outside New

articles of the Universal Declaration ofYork.

Human Rights.

I attended it representing the

For example, there was aInternational Network of Museums forposter of a child with a message that “APeace.

child is Not a Soldier” as well as “AnThe following is a brief report ofthe conference with some information that

estimated 300,000 children serve as soldiers

would be useful in the future.

worldwide.

The theme of the conference wasold.”“Reaffirming Human Rights for All: theof paper with an explanation of the poster.

Universal Declaration at 60.”First there was Article 4 that says, “No one

Speaking ofSome are as young as 8 years

Next to the poster, there was a sheet

Museums for Human Rights, there are theshall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery

following museums for human rights.

and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all5their forms.”

Then there is a message ofissues were discussed.

I attended a

Christopher Kosek, a student of Art Center

workshop on the cooperation between

College of Design in Pasadena, California

NGOs and universities to promote humanthat “By using a child’s drawing, I hoped torights education.

echo the voice of a child being forced tofor peace and human rights, how effective

become a real soldier.

I felt that a childthey are to promote education for peace andlike illustration would have more visual

human rights as well as the 6th International

impact than more sophisticated visuals, orConference of Museums for Peace thatmere statistics.”

would be held in Kyoto and Hiroshima.

I talked about museumsI

also asked the audience to inform me of any
There was also a standing board with a huge

museum or center for peace and humanpaper in which participants could write theirrights.

ideas on human rights freely in the lobby.

later and exchanged name cards to keep in

There was a message that “Make your voice

touch in the future.

visible.

listen to a chairperson who said, “There are

Please add comments, ideas,

Several participants came to me
It was impressive toquestions, what you have to say, and we

problems in the world and in our daily life,

will include them.

but it is important to regard problems as agood opportunity to change reality.”

It was pointed out at the Plenary Sessionthat the Universal Declaration of Human

There were about 1300 participants from

Rights is very important and the role of2000 NGOs.

NGOs is important to protect human rights.

information as follows:

There is some useful

The dialogue and cooperation between thez Museum International is published byUnited Nations and NGOs was emphasized.

UNESCO (www.unesco.org/publishing)

A participant from the ILO said that we

z There are United Nations Information

should read the declaration well and use the
ILO in order to solve labor issues such asCenters and Services in the world, so

unemployment, child labor and forced labor.

please check them and try to cooperatewith them.
z The DPI/NGO website is as follows:

There were several plenary sessions and thewww.un.org/dpi/ngosection

most interesting one was related to humanrights education.

z There is NGO-UNESCO Liaison

In India where illiteracy

is high, stories and paintings are used toCommittee and it would be nice topromote human rights education.

cooperate with UNESCO.

In Africa(Cameroon) a drama is used to promote

comite.liaison.ong@unesco.org

such education.

http://ong-comite-liaison.unesco.org

It was also pointed outthat art such as music and videos are
effective to educate the young people from

There was NGO/DPI Executive committee

16 to 25 years old.

Open Forum.

There were workshops in which various

offices in the world and it was suggested

6

There are sixty-two UNpublished in February and September, 2008.

that NGOs work with such UN offices in theworld, which is a good idea.

The secretariat is Mr. Masahiko

In this way,

any NGO that has no financial support to go

Yamane in The Center of the Tokyo Raids

to the United Nations in New York can

and Warwork together with an U.N. office.

Newsletter are Masahiko Yamabe, Kazuyo

It wasDamages.

The editors of Muse

pointed out that there are no representatives

Yamane and Ikuro Anzai.

in the executive committee from Asia andadministration members are Kazuya Yasuda,

Eastern Europe, which should be solved in

Keiichiro Kaji, Eriko Ikeda, Tamotsu

the future.

Asakawa, Daisuke Miyahara and Masahiko

It is said that the next annual

The

Yamabe.

conference may be held in Mexico.

There was a social evening and it was
The UN/NGO conference gave us a chance

discussed that it is important to convey war

to encourage greater awareness among theexperiences from the old to the young andbroader public about the relevance of thesome issues in the management of

United Declaration of Human Rights in themuseums.

world today and in their lives. It was also
nice and encouraging to get to know somany NGOs working hard for human rights,

Report on the International Symposium

peace, and sustainable development.

on Indiscriminate Bombing
by Masahiko Yamabe
The International Conference ofthReport on the 8 National Exchange“Indiscriminate Bombing: How did

Meeting of the Japanese Citizens’

Damaged Cities Convey Air-Raids –Network of Museums for Peace

Exhibitions at museums in Gernika,

by Masahiko Yamabe

Chongqing (China) and Tokyo” was held atth

The 8 National Exchange Meeting

Edo Tokyo Museum on October 11th, 2008.

was held from 15:30 to 18:00 on October 8th

I would like to thank Ms. Kazuyo Yamane,as a part of a program of the 6th

Ms. Yoshiko Tanigawa, Ms. Nicole Kato,

International Conference of Museums for

Ms. Risa Ikeya and Professor Ikuro Anzai

Peace.

for their cooperation.

Mr. Kazuya Yasuda played a roleof the chairperson.

The purpose was to make clear how

Forty-two people

participated and they introduced themselves,

air-raided cities inspected reality ofbut there was not enough time to exchange

damages and how they conveyed it to

information on activities of each museum.

people.

Financial report was made and it wasChongqing and Tokyo got together for theapproved.

first time and discussed their study and

The next meeting will be heldExperts of museums in Gernika,

exhibition, the present situation and someon December 5-6, 2009 in Tokyo.

challenges.

It was reported that Muse Newsletter

195 people participated in it

in Japanese was published in February andand their reports and discussion were

July, 2008 and Muse in English wassignificant, which will be explained briefly

7as follows:

Italian Aviazione Legionaria.

First, Mr. Katsumoto Saotome, theThe raid

was divided into 3 phases:

director of The Center of the Tokyo Raids

1st Phase: Heavy-explosives - bombs

and War Damages, gave an inauguralof up to 250/300 kg.

speech.

Heavy-explosives blast bombs wereHe told the audience that he had

researched damages by air-raids indropped in order to destroy the

Chongqing and Gernika, and citizens started

buildings.

new movement of conveying damages by

2nd phase: 1 kg incendiary bombs wereindiscriminate air-raids during World War

droppedII to future generations.

3rd phase: Machine-gunning of the

Next, Professor Hiroshi Yoshida of

population

Hitotsubashi University, the head of the

Today it is difficult to say an accurate figure

Research Office of War Damages, pointed

of casualties, though the mostout the following.

commonly-accepted figures are 250 dead

1. The number of people who have memory

and hundreds of wounded.

of World War II is becoming a minority andFranco’s army never acknowledged

it is important to record their experiences

responsibility – on the contrary, evidence

and convey them to future generations withwas twisted, and his press service accusedan emphasis on exhibitions at museums.

the Basque republicans (referred to as reds

2. There are indiscriminate bombing against

and separatists) of having set fire to thecivilians in various places of the world eventown during their retreat towards Bilbao. To

today.

Issues of compensation forthis day the Spanish army has failed todamages by air-raids in World War II haveacknowledge that it took part in the

not been solved and they should be solved.

bombing of Gernika.

3. Such issues should not be considered in

is a symbol against the war all around theone country and this is why thisworld.

international symposium was held.

the bombing of Gernika, he decided to

Picasso’s “Guernica”

When Picasso read the news about

create an artwork expressing the horror of
There were three reports.

the war.

(1) Guernica: An Experimental Horror“Guernica”(icon of the art of the 20thby Ms. Iratxe Momoitio

His famous picture

century) helped a lot to spread the name of

Ms. Iratxe Momoitio, the director of

the city of Gernika all around the world.

Gernika Peace Museum talked about

Nowadays this artwork, located in Reina“Guernica: An Experimental Horror” using

Sofia Museum (Madrid) continues to be a

PowerPoint.

cry against the war.

DVD of Gernika Story on

air-raids on Gernika was shown.

First she

Opened in 1998 theGernika Museum (since 2003 Gernika Peacetalked about the summary of the Spanish

Museum) wants to be an important tool for

Civil War and the reality of the bombing of

spreading and getting to know the memory

Gernika.

of the city.

The raid was carried out by theGerman Condor Legion, escorted by the

It is a museum to remember

the past and a museum for the future8

also 250 photographs.
(2) Testimony on Great Bombing of

The testimony by fifteen survivors

Chongqing: War Crimes of Bombing Cities

about their experiences when Chongqing

and a Massacre of People in Oral History by

was air-raided by Japanese bombers is

Li Jinrong of Chinese Chongqing Sanxia

introduced and three points were madeMuseumclear.

First, exhibitions at the museum and a

1) The great bombing of Chongqing killed

diorama on Japan’s bombing of Chongqing

innocent people directly and massively by

were shown using DVD.

dropping bombs from the sky essentially

The outline of

his report is as follows:

targeting the city and the people.

Japanese military air-raided

In thehistory of war that is getting more and more

Chongqing, the capital of China during

violent.

World War II, for five years and a half frompeople by bombing happened much earlier

February, 1938 to August, 1943.

than the bombing of Tokyo and Hiroshima.

It is

The massacre of nonresistantcalled “Great Bombing of Chongqing” in2) Though war criminals of Great Massacre

history.

According to basic statistics,of Nanjing were already tried, those whoJapanese military sent 9,513 bombers,

were involved with the great bombing ofbombed 218 times, dropped 21,593 bombs,

Chongqing have not been punished.

destroyed 17,608 houses and killed andwar criminal of killing people by bombing

injured 25,989 people (which do not include

has never been settled and accused, and tens

the dead in the incident of Big Tunnel inof thousands of people who have been

Chongqing and cities in the coast of thesuffering from this disaster have never been

Chang Jiang.)

compensated.

It also caused great

The

These victims and survivors

bombing on May 3-4, 1939, great bombing

have been still enduring physical and mental

on August 19, 1940 and a Big Tunnel

damages by the bombing and suffering fromincident at Jiaochangkou, which surprised

all the damages.

people who listened to them.

for the great bombing of Chongqing is not

Articles on

If the war responsibility

the war against Japan has been collected,

accused, people will never be healed

preserved and studied since the 1980s at

mentally.

Chongqing Museum.

3) The great bombing of Chongqing is not

Experts wereorganized and articles related to bombing

simply a matter of a historical incident.

Chongqing were collected and an exhibition

The way of fighting has been developed intoon “Great Bombing of Chongqing” was helda model of modern warfare. If the war crimeand also an Illustrated Book on Greatof the great bombing of Chongqing is not

Bombing of Chongqing was published.

settled, it would be fundamentally

More experts were organized in 2000 and

impossible to get rid of causes of war inthey listened to survivors who experienced

which bombs are used freely.

the great bombing of Chongqing.

of the great bombing of Chongqing will be

Theyfound 200 survivors and collected materials

repeated in the future.

of their oral history by 160 survivors and

9

The history

(3) The History and the Present Situation ofHague and Rules of Air Warfare became

the Research and Exhibition of Air-Raids atinternational common law in the latter half"Museums for Peace" in Japanof the 1930s.

② The Review of Air-Raids in Japan by

by Masahiko Yamane
The report consists of the following

B29

contents:

The U.S. military bombed munitions

1. The movement of recording damages byfactories, big cities using incendiary bombs

air-raids by the Association of Recording

and mines, military bases and air-ports in

U.S. Air-Raids and exhibitions.

Kyushu, oil bases, medium and small cities

2. Collecting, studying and exhibiting

using incendiary bombs and dropping mockmaterials on air-raids in Osaka in thebombs and atomic bombs.

1980s, which is more advanced than other③ The Decision of Air-Raids on Tokyo

places.

and its Meaning

3. Exhibits on air-raids at museums in

The U.S. military had enough number of B29

Japan.

which were well deployed with military

4. The process of the establishment of thestrength in April and May, 1944.

It wasCenter of the Tokyo Raids and War

decided to start to use massive incendiary

Damages and the contents of exhibitions.

bombs on urban districts of six big cities

5. Exhibitions on air-raids on Tokyo at

including Tokyo from March, 1945 when thehistory museums in Tokyo.

monsoon was strong.

6. Exhibitions on Japan’s air-raids of

The targets werefocused on industrial areas related to

Chongqing at museums in Japanaircrafts and urban districts of big cities inintroducing damages done toward citizens

October, 1944.

in Chongqing.

Tokyo not by a commander only but by theBombing of Chongqing

It was decided to air-raid

is seen in the history of indiscriminate

military systematically: U.S. Air Forcebombing and regarded as one of Japan’s

wanted to bear fruit and be independent fromaggression.

the military.

It was pointed out thatJapan’s aggression led to damages ofJapanese civilians.

④ The Reality of Big Air-Raids on

7. The achievement of the present researchTokyo
The area which the U.S. military tried tois introduced as follows:① Indiscriminate Bombing and Inter-bomb on March 10th was regarded as thenational Law
It should be noted that air planes were

weakest area if incendiary bombs were used.
There were no clear military targets suchused for the great powers such as Britain,

as military facilities and munitions factories,

Italy and Spain to look for new colonies andand it was urban districts such as residential

oppress the movement for independence

areas.

from colonies.

north and the west, fire spread beyond

Cruel bombs such as toxic

gas were sometimes dropped.

Rules toBecause of strong wind from thetargeted areas to the east and the south.

control aerial combats were made in The

10

On March 10th when Tokyo was greatly

was resumed and only soldiers were

air-raided, many people lost places tospecially compensated. Civilians started toescape from and shelters were burnt down.

look for national compensation.

A huge number of people estimated asgovernment ignored them and compensated

100,000 became victims of the air-raids:

people who cooperated with waging war

they were burnt alive, suffocated, drowned,

such as conscripted people, students who

and were frozen to death.

were forced to work, volunteers unit, andThis is becauseTheof the following reasons: air-raids started

members of civil defense unit.

before air-raids were alarmed, massive

survivors of ordinary people andincendiary bombs were dropped on crowded

handicapped people were not compensated.

houses made of wood, fire spread because

In the 1980s ordinary people who

Butof strong wind, it was not possible to escapesuffered from war damages filed lawsuits

to safe shelters because there were many

against Japan for compensation.

rivers around, there were thorough orders to2007 the members of the Association offight a fire and people tried to do so hitting

Survivors of Air-Raids on Tokyo filed a law

fire and using water in a bucket cooperating

suit insisting that the air-raids are against

one another (unscientific way of fighting ainternational law looking for compensation.

fire) and thus they could not escape from

This is not against the U.S. government

fire.

but against Japanese government.

⑤ Compensation to Victims

In March,

Lastly, he mentioned that it isnecessary to think of damages done toward

There was a compensation system
during the war following War Damages

Chinese civilians by the Allied Forces’

Protection Law enacted in February, 1942:

bombing.

not only soldiers and Army (Navy) civilian

should be made clear for reconciliation andemployees but also civilians, survivors,

apology and compensation is necessary.

It was also pointed out that facts

injured people and people whose houses
were burnt down were compensated.

A paper by Professor Andrew Rigby

Not

only Japanese but also people in colonizedof Centre for Peace & Reconciliation

Korea and Taiwan were compensated.

Studies in Coventry University wasIn1946 Life Protection Law was enacted

introduced at the symposium.

The title iswhich stopped special compensation to war“Memorialising war: the narratives of two

victims, and the War Damages Protection

European cities, Coventry and Dresden.”

Law was abolished as well as War Aid Law

Also introduced was a paper by Mr. Pingand pensions for soldiers.
In 1952 after the allied Forces finished

Qing hao of Chinese Chongqing Sanxia

occupation of Japan, the Aid Law for Injured

Indiscriminate Bombing in Chongqing uponand Sick Soldiers and Families of the War

Foreign Embassies, Consulates and Other

Dead was enacted and only soldiers andOrganizations Staying in China.

Museum: Basic Study of Damages by

Army (Navy) civilian employees werecompensated.

After three presentations, Professor

In 1953 pension for soldiers11Tetsuo Maeda of Okinawa University gave

was held last year.

the following comments.

exhibition of U.S. bombing of Japan, but

It is important to

In China there is noconvey air-raids to future generations not as

researchers started to think that it isa national event but as a common event

necessary to study it.

among nations.

In Germany ultra-right

As for a question on activities before

wingers insist on the importance ofthe opening of Gernika Peace Museum, it

conveying them.

was said that there was no bombing under

But air-raids should beshared as experiences in aggressive war.

the autocratic regime and it was not possible

He introduced recent research of air-raids

for victims to speak out.

and mentioned the background of Japan’s

became democratic in the 1980s and oral

bombing of Chongqing: Chongqing was thehistory began to be studies and collected.

capital and the political center of China andAs for Chongqing, there was almost noJapan bombed it so that the Chinese would

research until 1985 and they started tolose their will to fight against Japan.

collect artifacts first and began to exhibit

He

However, italso mentioned that it is necessary to thinkthem from 1993.

of Japan’s bombing of Chongqing inrecord survivors’ testimonies.

relation to the present and the future.

In 1996 they started to

As for a question of whether the

In the discussion it was mentioned

Japanese government apologized to thethat it is necessary to think of air-raids on

Chinese people for bombing Chongqing, theWarsaw.

As for a question on Gernika,

answer is yes if former Prime Minister

there are 180 victims of bombing whose

Murayama’s speech is regarded as annames are clear and it seems that there were

apology.

250 to 300 victims as a whole.

recognized indiscriminate bombing and

The reason

However, Japan has not

for the bombing of Gernika is that it wasbombing of urban districts, so Japan has not

close to an industrial city, mines andapologized to the Chinese people inimportant traffic areas as well as trying toChongqing nor compensated them for

destroy Basque country.

damages and their suffering according to

As for questions on the bombing ofProfessor Maeda.

Chongqing, the reason why the Chinese

As for a question on persons

people did not yield to Japan’s bombing is

responsible for bombing, it is clear thatthat it is a foggy town with mountains,

Franco agreed on the bombing of Gernika

strong shelter where 400,000 people could

implicitly.

stay in was made, alarm system worked

recognized its responsibility and there was

efficiently, and ammunitions factories werecompensation while Italy has not done so.

built in a mountain in a suburb and it was

As for the case of the bombing of

not bombed.

Chongqing, it was done under the name of

As for an exhibition on U.S. air-raids

German government

the emperor, and decision makers of theof Japan, it is not held at Gernika Peacebombing and the name of the commanderMuseum though a special exhibition on thewere made clear.

atomic bombing on Hiroshima and Nagasakiof Chongqing was not tried at Toyo trial.

12

However, the bombing

Traditionally it was said that it was Lemay

Dragon and Convey it” was held on

who was responsible for the U.S. bombing

November 1st, 2008.

of Japanese cities.

a former fisherman of the Lucky Dragon,

However, it was the

Mr. Matashichi Oishi,

Joint Chiefs of Staff that made a decision ofgave a lecture and forty students andbombing Japanese cities and therefore, theteachers attended it.

U.S. military is responsible for theabout studying the Lucky Dragon boat withbombing.

students, visiting the exhibition hall withThree teachers talked

parents and getting to know about the LuckyAs for a question on efforts forreconciliation with a sister city of bombed

Dragon boat.

Pforzheim in Germany, there are exchanges

opinions.

Participants exchanged theirof young people between Gernika andPforzheim, and damages by bombing havebeen discussed.

Lastly, it was pointed out

Women’s Active Museum: Tokyoby each speaker that the young people are

The head of the Executive Committee:

not so interested in the bombing in Gernika,

Eriko Ikeda
We have been busy because more

Chongqing and Japan and efforts have been
made to inform them of the bombing.

people have been getting interested in anThechairperson mentioned that it is difficult toissue of women who were forced to work as

convey memory of bombing to future

sex slaves during World War II.

generations.

Resolutions at the Diet demanding Japanapologize to victims and compensate themfor damages and suffering were made in the
United States, the Netherlands, Canada andEU in 2007, and in the Republic of Korea

Articlesand Taiwan in 2008.

The UN Freedom

Daigo Fukuryu Maru (Lucky Dragon)

Rights Committee advised Japan to do so in

Exhibition Hall

October, 2008.

In Japan the same kind ofresolution was passed at Municipal

Kazuya Yasuda

Assemblies in Takarazuka, Kiyose andFifty-five years will have passed in2009 after the U.S. hydrogen bomb test was

Sapporo.

conducted in 1954.

sent our secretary-general to the United

There will be a lecture

Nations for lobbying, which was successful.

of “Why did Mr. Kuboyama die fromThe 9th Asian Solidarity Conference

anatomical perspectives: fishermen’s
health” on February 22nd.

We cooperated with NGOs andwas held in Tokyo in November and NGOs

There will be aconcert as the 55th anniversary on May 16th

from the United States and Canada also

and the theme music of the Lucky Dragon

attended it in order to give pressure to thefishing boat of “Lucky Dragon Quintet” will

Japanese government.

be played.

the rise of the international opinion poll

On the other hand,caused the right wingers to be active and

A workshop of “Study the Luckythey strengthened pressure against this13

museum.

In January about twenty men

Yamanashi Peace Museum: Yamanashi

came to the museum raining abuse on us

Director: Tamotsu Asakawa

and we had to call police.

There was a field work of visiting the

We could

manage to resist them by cooperating one

northern part of Kofu City which is related

another.

to U.S. air-raids on Kofu and war remains

We need to continue to beof Kofu Regiment on July 6th.

careful.

Mr.

Aoyama, a priest, talked about a temple

In China there has been an exhibition
on women who were forced to work as sex

which was bombed for the first time.

slaves and an illustrated book was published.

Participants visited Red Bricks Museum ofPanels in Chinese were not ready for an

Yamanashi University which was used for

exhibition in Shanxi Province and it was

Kofu Regiment.
A war exhibition for peace was held

postponed though there was a plan of theon August 7th to 10th and exhibited were

exhibition in fall.

Okinawa Battle, Textbooks, women who

In East Timor panels in Tetum wereused in various places from February.

were forced to work as sex slaves, Yasukuni

In

Shrine issue and so forth.

Japan the panels were also exhibited in six
Building museums and memorials

Stories for peace were read and afor peace by people is getting popular thesedrama was performed on September 21st.

days.

Newsletter called “Port for Peace” No. 5

places.

Women’s Active Museum is

was published on September 30th.

regarded as “a museum which is small, but
active” and we are invited to talk about our

Tanzan Ishibashi (1884-1973) was

activities and also those who are interested

introduced in a field work on October 26th

in our activities visit our museum.

as the 35th anniversary of his death.

In theParticipants visited school and hometown

Republic of Korea History Museum near theHouse of Sharing celebrated the 10
anniversary.

threlated to him.

There is a plan to build

Bereaved families talked about theirMuseum for Women and Human Rights

feelings on November 16th, which wasagainst War in March, 2009.

moving.

there is also such a plan.

In Taiwan

Stories related to war were read.

There was a symposium on peace education

We help thesemuseums in terms of contents of exhibitions

on December 7th.

and fund raising.

exhibition and a lecture on defoliant in

In November it became possible to

There will be a photo

January, 2009.

use database to search for materials at the

As for the content of exhibitions,

Women’s Active Museum including books,

reality of U.S. air-raids of Kofu City wasmagazines, newsletters, videos and so forth.

shown in May, 2007.

We have been making a map thatexhibited in November, 2007 and life duringshows where women were sent and forced
to work as sex slaves.

Kofu Regiment wasWorld War II was exhibited in June, 2008.

It is expected to

There is an exhibition on Tanzan

make an accurate map, so we have been

Ishibashi.

doing our best.

on peace, human rights, and liberalism and14

He was a journalist who insistedbecame a prime minister after World War

It is run by Ms. Mikiko NomaII.

(director), Mr. Hideo Takekawa

Tel & fax: 055-235-5659(vice-director), Mr. Daisuke Miyahara

http://ypm-japan.jp/test/index.html(Secretariat), Mr. Hiroichi Takeuchi(vice-secretary general) and 20 board
members that are elected by all themembers.

Peace Aichi: Nagoya

There is only one staff who works

Takashi Saito
Peace Aichi is a private peace

full-time and we asked for volunteers.

museum founded thanks to Ms. Tazu Kato.

Fortunately there are seventy volunteers.

The themes are U.S. air-raids in Aichi

Two of the elder members are 86 years old

Prefecture, life during World War II, theand two of the young members are high15-year war, and “war and peace today.”school students who work on Saturday.

It was opened in May, 2007 and there were

There are Mr. Takeuchi, two board

11, 188 visitors in the first year.

members, four volunteers at the museum

As for thenumber of visitors in the second year until

every day.

the end of October, there were 4,710.

people who speak of their own experiences

The

There are also five to six

special exhibition as the first anniversaryof World War II and also the purpose of thewas “war and peace from Okinawa

museum that aims at conveying the horror

viewpoint.”of war and the preciousness of peace.

Mr

Masahide Ota, theformer governor of Okinawa Prefecture,

There are also 15 guides.

gave a lecture.

There is a questionnaire at the

In order to attract visitors, we had ten

museum and visitors are asked to write theirexhibitions such as an exhibition of “Hana’s

messages for peace.

Suitcase”.

messages and a part of them is exhibited at

We also had various events 29

times such as a talk by a former American
soldier.

There are over 1000

the museum.

We also contact elementary

When there is a group of children andschools so that school children visit our

citizens, a guide explains exhibitions.

museum.

Sometimes a volunteer guide is asked to

As for the finance, it is about six
million yen.

give children a signature, which leads to

It is based on the membershipmany children asking for so manyfee of a formal member (6,000 yen a year)

signatures.

and a supporting member (3,000 yen a year).

One day, a teacher sent students’

There is no subsidy from Aichi Prefecture

essays. A six-grader wrote, “Please takeand Nagoya city.

good care of yourself and live long” to a

There were about 500

members when the museum was opened, but

speaker who said that they would die in thethere are over 700 members now.

near future.

We

We volunteers are muchhope that the formal members will be 500

encouraged by such a voice and continue toand supporting ones will be 1,000 in thework for peace.

future.

15

Oka Masaharu Memorial Nagasaki Peace

Nanjing Massacre on December 15th.

Museumwas Zhang lanyun aged 80 and the other is aOne

researcher of Nanjing Masaccre Memorial.

Director: Yasunori Takazane
The following is the present situation andthe plan of our activities.
Georg Freise, a German conscientious
objector, came to the museum to work on

Japanese Network News

September 13th.
A film of “Nanjing: torn memory”
thwas shown on October 4 .

Pacific War History Museum: Iwate
The 7th anniversary of becoming a

Japanesesoldiers gave testimony of Nanjing

corporation was held at a public hall on

Massacre to verify historical facts.

September 6th 2008.

The director participated in the 6th

Activities werereported by the members.

There was aInternational Conference of Museums forvisitor from Indonesia and they had

Peace held in Kyoto on October 6-8.

exchanges of ideas.

It

was exciting to attend it.

There was an exhibition of photos ofChinese men who were forced tothe dead Japanese soldiers left in New

work in Japan filed a law suit, but their

Guinea and relics at Asahi Com Hall in

appeal was rejected and we protested

Osaka on August 11th-22nd 2008.

against it.

Tel: 0197-52-3000 Fax:0197-52-4575

The director attended the 55thanniversary of returning ashes of Chinese
men who were forced to work in Japan
during World War II.

The Kamaishi Historical Museum: Iwate

It was held in

Kamaishi Exhibition of War Damages

Tianjin on November 2-3 and the director

by Bombardment from Warships, titledparticipated in it.

“The wartime and the postwar days seen in

He reported that amonument for Chinese Atomic Bombeveryday life” was held from Jul. 11 tothVictims was built on July 7 in Nagasaki.

Sept.7, 2008 (The first half : “ Kamaishi

There was a lawsuit by a Korean

city in wartime”

atomic bomb survivor living in the Republic

to reconstruction”).

thof Korea on November 10 .

He demanded

The second half : “RoadThis exhibition

showed how the citizens lived during thethat he get medical care and he won.

war, and how they struggled for the

However, the governor of Nagasaki

reconstruction after the war from thePrefecture appealed to a higher court andviewpoint of “everyday life”.

the director protested against it.

Kamaishi City was bombarded twiceth

The 6 annual general assembly wasfrom the sea by the Allies, in July and in

held and new board members were elected

August of 1945.

and tight budget was approved.

took the lives of many people and the city

There was a rally in which two

was left in ruins.

Chinese persons gave a testimony of

The two bombardments
The citizens made big

efforts for the reconstruction of the city16

with iron works in the confusion of the end

http://www.city.sendai.jp/kyouiku/rekimin/of the war.
The materials and records of everyday
life showed the citizens’ living.

The

Tome City Museum of History: Miyagi

purpose of this exhibition is to pass on the

An exhibition titled “Handing down theravages Kamaishi city suffered and to send

child evacuation experience in Tome City”

out their wish for permanent peace so thatwas held from Oct.11 to Nov.30, 2008.

they will never repeat the tragedy of war.

showed the hardships of the evacuated

The contents of the first half of thechildren in Tome and how the people inItexhibition are as follows:

Tome accepted the children.

1. Kamaishi City in prewar days

Tel: 0220-21-5411

2. Strengthening control on the nation by

http://www.city.tome.miyagi.jp/rekihaku/

military
3. The home front was also in war
4. Preparing for air raids

Peace Museum of Saitama: Higashi-

The contents of the second half of the

Matsuyama City, Saitama

exhibition are as follows:

An exhibition titled “Experience and

1. Restart from the ruins

Feel Museum! See and touch the day-to-day

2. New struggle with poverty and breaking

life in wartime” was held from Jul.19 toSept.28, 2008.

with wartime education

There were sections to

3. Road to reconstruction

deepen the understanding of the animation

4. Declaration as a Peace City

movie “Story of a doll with blue eyes” and“The last air raid in Kumagaya”, to display

On Sept.14 2008, a meeting to listen to thethe documents appeared in textbooks andexperiences of war from 5 people was held.

data books or to display things which are

Also we showed a video titled

OK to touch.

“bombardment by warships: the record of

Other sections were School and Children

the war damages in Kamaishi” andsection, Study section or Message section.
An exhibition titled “For the

displayed panels of photos possessed by themuseum.

happiness of people all over the world –Tel＆Fax:0193-22-2046

International volunteers from Saitama

http://www.city.kamaishi.iwate.jp/kyoudo/i

Prefecture” was held from Aug.9 to Oct.5,

ndex.html

2008 to introduce Saitama related
volunteers playing active parts in building
the international peace.
An art exhibition titled “Posters from

Sendai City Museum of History and
Folklore: Miyagi

Saitama Peace Museum” was held from

“Guidebook: The remains of war in Sendai

Oct.11 to Dec.14, 2008 to look back upon

2008” was issued on Oct.4, 2008.

the history of the museum by introducing

Tel:022-295-3956

the posters possessed by it.

Fax:022-257-6401

17

Nov.2,2008 to Jan.10,2009.

A summer vacation event titled“Working on Independent Research at

Tel:0493-22-3266

Fax:0493-24-8371

Peace Museum” was held from Aug.1 to 31,

http://www.aya.or.jp/~marukimsn/top/kikak

2008 which was to advice students studying

u.htm

war and peace.
Readings of literature with war andpeace theme were given on Jul.26 and on

Warabi Municipal Museum : Saitama

Oct.25.

Prefecture

Meeting with people who went through the

The 19th Exhibition for Peace titled

war was held on Aug.23, 2008 and listened“During and After the War Ween by Lunch

to a lady’s talk on the education and theBoxes Sold at Stations and Memorial Train

school life in wartime.

Tickets” was held from Aug.1 to Sep.30,
2008.

Movie shows were held once a month

From the Manchurian Incident

from July to November to show movies on(1931) to the end of the Pacific War (1945),

the theme of war and peace.

so many people were sent to the battlefield

Tel:0493-35-4111

and so many lives were lost.

People were

http://homepage3.nifty.com/saitamapeacem

forced to live extreme life.

We need touseum/

pass the facts and memories of “war” on to

Fax:0493-35-4112

the next generation so that we will neverrepeat this tragedy.

This exhibition

Maruki Gallery: Higashi-Matsuyama

showing the wrapping paper of lunch boxes

City, Saitama

and memorial train tickets, which reflected

An exhibition titled “The world of

the era of war, gave an opportunity for

Picture books by Toshi Maruki” was held

people to think over the value of peace.

from Jul.5 to Sep.6,2008.

The exhibits included various wrapping

Toshi Maruki, apainter whose works include “Thepapers and train tickets of before, during,

Hiroshima Panels” (paintings of terrible

and after the war.

sights of Hiroshima after the atomic bomb)

Tel:048-432-2477

or picture books on atomic bomb, Minamata

http://www.city.warabi.saitama.jp/rekimin/i

disease, war in Okinawa, etc., left a variety

ndex.htm

of works on paintings, picture books,
illustrations, and book designs.

The

exhibition introduced her history as a

Saitama Prefectural Museum of History

picture book artist.

and Folklore : Saitama

An exhibition titled “Antinuclear and

The exhibition titled “Saitama City in

Antiwar movement today 2008” was held

wartime” was held from August tofrom Sep.13 to Oct.25, 2008.

November, 2008.

An exhibition titled “Sisyphus Now – a

It consisted of (1) the introduction to thesomersault of Sin and Judgment “

war system, (2) from Japan-China war tobyseven modern artists was held fromthe Pacific war, (3) long war and worsened18

progress of the war, and (4) increased war“ Asia-Pacific War and Tokyo Air

damages and the end of war.

Raid”, “ Exhibition of Air Raid in the

RelatedCenter” and so on.

materials were exhibited including the bombz “High School Students Saw the Trees

dropped by the US Air Force.
Tel:048-645-8171

Damaged by Air Raids in Tokyo”

Fax:048-640-1964(Nov.19~Dec.27, 2008): Reports on the

http://www.saitama-rekimin.spec.ed.jp/

trees damaged by the air raids wereshown.
z

The Center of the Tokyo Raids and War
Damages : Koto Ward, Tokyo

A fieldwork to go around the trees
damaged by the air raids (Nov.22,2008)z “Kobe Air Raid in memories – originalz A

drawings by Kazuko Toyota.

Lectureof “ What the Damaged

Trees tell us” (Dec.6, 2008)z

Day-to-day life in town and the war”

The 19th research meeting was held on(Aug.6~Sep.7, 2008): displayed theJul.13, 2008 and a report “The researchdrawings of Kazuko Toyota which

about the air raids on Osaka Bay area”

showed the living in Kobe during thewas presented.
z The 20th research meeting was held on

war.
z “Passing on the experience of Air Raid

Set.14, 2008 and a report “Air defense

by pictures – By the young generationof Imperial Japan – a city clustered byin Kobe, Tokyo and Nagasaki” (Aug.23,

wooden houses and air raids” was2008):

presented.

Students presented theirz The 21st research meeting was held on

picture works produced to pass on thetragedy of air raids.

Nov.29, 2008 and a report was madez A talk show “How do we ‘pass on’ war

titled “Movements on Tokyo Air Raidin the Postwar Japanese Society –experiences ?” (Aug. 30,2008)
z Musical “A Cat Is Alive” (Aug.16-17,

Focusing on the two grass-roots2008) : a famous picture bookmovements”

describing Tokyo air raids was madeTel：03-5857-5631

into a musical show.

http://www.tokyo-sensai.net/

Fax：03-5683-3326

z “Talks and Picture Story Shows of theExperience of Air Raids” (Jul.26, Aug.2,
9,23, 2008): events for parents andWadatsumino Koe Memorial Hall:children to pass on the war experience

Bunkyou Ward, TokyoAs the 65th anniversary of students’

and wish for peace.
z A series of five lectures by thedeparture to the front, a lecture was given

researchers belonging to Research

and a documentary film of “Himeyuri” wasInstitute of War Damages (Oct.20, Nov.

shown at Tokyo Edo Museum on August

3, 17, Dec.1,15,2008) :13-16 2008.

Themes were

It was held by Wadatsumino“ The Significance of the Center and the

Koe Memorial Hall and Tokyo Edo

expectation to the next generation”,

Museum.

19

There was also an exhibition ofmaterials of permanent exhibition,with the third Shin Ikebukuro

posthumous manuscripts kept at Kyoto

Montparnasse Town Traveling

University, Meiji University and Gakushuin

Museum “The scenery depicted, theUniversity and so forth.

era shot, and the memory remained”

Mr. Hajime

was held. Pictures of the Tokyo air

Kondo talked about his war experiences inraids painted by the victims, athChina and Okinawa on 15 .

landscape titled “A black market at

There was an anti-war rally at Chuohst

University on December 1 .

the east gate of Ikebukuro station” by

A lecture of“Visiting a country without military” was

R.Takayama, “Air raids on

given by Professor Akira Maeda.

A film

Ikebukuro” by S. Sugiura, and photos

of “Students’ Departure to the Front” madeby K. Ishikawa were exhibited. It wasby the Ministry of Education in 1943 wasaimed to think of the issue of war andshown.

peace through these works related to

Tel＆Fax:03-3815-8571

the air raids and the artists who were

http://tokyo.cool.ne.jp/wadatsumikai/

actively worked in Ikebukuro.
Tel: 03-3980-2351

Fax:03-3980-5271

http://www.museum.toshima.tokyo.jp/tNakano Ward Peace Exhibition Hall:

op.htmlTokyo
The first special exhibition in 2008
“The air raid on Nakano” was held

National Showa Memorial Museum:from 7th to 30th of June. The second

Chiyoda Ward,Tokyo

special exhibition “A-bomb photos in

The special exhibition “Animals:

Hiroshima and Nagasaki” was held

shared the hardship together duringfrom 20th to 31st of August. In order toand after the war” was held from 26thtell the fact of A-bomb damages inof July to 31st of August in 2008.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which gave

During the 2nd WW, domestic animals

victims incredible suffering, to thosewere drafted and used for military

who don’t know what war is like, thepurpose. At zoos, a lot of animals were

exhibition showed photos of the cities

put down for people’s safety in case ofand the people taken before and after

air raids. After the war, animals such

A-bombs were dropped.

as elephants on the Elephant Train

Tel: 03-3228-8988

conformed and encouraged people.

Fax:03-3228-5644

http://www.city.tokyo-nakano.lg.jp/016

Real things, pictures and diaries were

/03/d00700024.html

displayed to show the relationships
between people and animals. A
pictorial record is published. On 10th

Toshima Historical Museum: Tokyo

of August, a lecture by Takashi Koide,

From 9th of July to 5th of October in

the author of the story of the Elephant2008, the summer exhibition together

Train, was given related to the20

that time. During the term, various

exhibition.
Tel: 03-3222-2577

events such as a symposium, a public

Fax:03-3222-2575

reading and screenings of the story of

http://www.showakan.go.jp/

the Blue-eyed Dolls were held, too.
Tel: 03-3910-0005
Shibusawa Memorial Museum: Kita

http://www.shibusawa.or.jp/museum/

Ward,
Tokyo
One of the serial exhibitions for

War Experience Library inthinking about peace “Eiichi

Daikanyama:

Shibusawa and the Blue-eyed Dolls-

Shibuya Ward,Tokyo

At Nara Daikanyama i Studio, an‘The Doll Project 81 years ago’” wasexhibition of “The War through theheld from 19th of July to 24th of Augusteyes of the children” was held fromin 2008. Shibusawa Memorial

6th to 18th of August in 2008. The

Museum is archives that collectmaterials related to children that are

historical materials related to Eiichi

stored in the War Experience Library

Shibusawa who was born in 1840 andin Nara Prefectural Library werebuilt the foundation of Japan’s

displayed. A screening of “Grave ofmodern economic society. This was theFireflies” and an exhibition of thefirst special summer exhibition about

war-related documents owned bypeace.

Akiyuki Nosaka, the author of the

When the anti-Japanese movement

story, were also held.

was overheated around 1924 in the

The contents were experiences ofU.S., a Japanophile, Sidney L. Gulick

children about Manchuria, Japanese

took initiative to send about 12,000

army, air raids and evacuations ofBlue-eyed Dolls as ambassadors fromschool children and the society after

the U.S. to Japan to promote friendly

the war. There is a booklet on thisrelations between the both countries.

exhibition.

Shibusawa supported his project andTel: 0742-34-2111

sent back 58 Japanese dolls to the U.S.

http://www.library.pref.nara.jp/sentai/

However, lots of the Blue-eyed Dolls

gallery.html

Fax:0742-34-2777

were treated badly as the enemy andwere abolished after the war
intensified. About 300 U.S. dolls are

Hachioji

confirmed to exist in Japan at present

Tokyo

City

HistoricalMuseum:At the special exhibition corner onand 44 Japanese dolls in the U.S.
In this exhibition, eight of the dolls

the 1st floor, an exhibition “Children

existing in Tokyo were displayed

called the children of the Empire”

representing world peace thatwas held from 29th of July to 31st of

Shibusawa and others wished for atAugust in 2008. Used were21

war-related materials remained in

http://www.city.higashimurayama.tok

Hachioji and the life under the war

yo.jp/~kakukaweb/052000/index02.ht

that forced children to be the children

mof the Empire devoting themselves
into the nation was shown. During theHigashiyamato City Museum: Tokyo

term, volunteer guides of the library

From 5th to 31st of August in 2008,

and an ex-teacher of the first national
elementary school at the time gaveat entrance lobby, a photo exhibition

talks about their war experiencesof old battlefields in Tama area wasincluding Hachioji air raid and the life

held.

of children.

Tel: 042-567-4800

Tel: 0426-22-8939

http://www.e-yamato.or.jp/city/museu

Fax:0426-27-5919m/

http://homepage3.nifty.com/hachioji-ci
ty-museum/

Fuchu City Forest Museum: TokyoA special exhibition “Unearthed

The Folk Museum ofHigashimurayama:Tokyosites in Fuchu: War memories andA special exhibition of “Thequick reports of the research” wasmilitary academy for young

held from 19th of July to 31st of August

signalmen” was held from 19th of Julyin 2008. Recently the remains of

to 7th of September in 2008. (In 2007,

buildings used as hangars near thethe theme of the exhibition was about

Fuchu airport have been focused as

the air raid on Higashimurayama city

the objects of archaeological research.

and the evacuations of school

This special exhibition aimed tochildren.)display the situation around Fuchu
and Chofu area during the war and to

The military academy wasestablished in 1942 in the city andthink of war and peace through theboys about fifteen year-old who passed

war materials unearthed andthe exam boarded and underwent the

researched. There is a leaflet of thesignalmen training to be dispatched to

exhibition. On 27th of July, a talkthe battlefields. After the war, theconcerned with the war sites wasbuildings were used mainly for schools

given.

established later on. On 2nd of August,Tel: 042-368-7921

a staff of the museum gave a lecture

http://www.fuchu-cpf.or.jp/museum/in

about the academy including

dex.html

recruitment and exams of the school.
There is a pictorial record of theexhibitions.

Fussa local Materica Hall: TokyoA special exhibition “War materials

Tel: 042-396-3800

22

exhibition for peace” was held fromkyo.jp/shiryoukan.html

12th of July to 28th of September in2008. This library displays
war-related materials on 15th of

Yokohama

August (the anniversary of the end of

Kanagawa

City

History

Archives:

the war) every year to think of the

An exhibition “Wartime and thewar history. This time the history

days after the war in Yokohama” wasfrom the Shino-Japanese War to theheld from 15th of August to 19th of

2nd World War was shown by means of

September in 2008 at Yokohama City

local materials such as fragments ofCentral Library and Yokohama City

U.S. bombs, military letters and an

History Library to commemorate theelementary school diary for air

war victims and to pray for peace.

defense.

Yokohama was involved in the war not

Tel: 042-553-3111

only by the air raid on 29th of May in

http://www.city.fussa.tokyo.jp/town/m1945 but also by the other matters005/32iopi0000004uv7.html

such as Japanese military bases andU.S. occupation after the war. In thisexhibition, the photographs from theMusashimurayama

City

Museum:National Archives of America andTokyo

artifacts and photographs related to

A special exhibition “Remains of

the war damages in Yokohama were

war in Musashimurayama” was held

displayed. There is a list of thefrom 25th of October to 7th of December

exhibited materials.

in 2008 to commemorate the ruin ofTel: 045-251-3260

Tokyo military academy for young

http://www.city.yokohama.jp/me/gyous

pilots.

ei/housei/sisi/

It was registered as a city

Fax:045-251-7321

cultural property. There were displays
about war sites such as underpasses
in Kubo site, air raid shelters in

Yukinoshita Historical Museum：Fukui

Mitsuki area, the army hospital ofCity

Murayama and also about the

There was an exhibition on Suzuko Nakano

damages of air raids onas the 50th anniversary of her death onMusashimurayama. There were

November 23rd and 24th.

additional events like a lecture aboutproletarian literature before World War II

war sites around Musashimurayama,

and one in democratic literature movement

a workshop to experience wartime

after

food and a city walk tour visiting war

scrapbooks, music of her poem of “Hoe”,

sites.

her manuscript, letters and so forth.

Tel: 042-560-6620

Tel＆Fax: 0776-52-2169

http://www.city.musashimurayama.to

http://www.yukinoshita.net/

23

the

war.

She was a poet in

Exhibited

were

her

displayed.

Gifu Peace Museum: Gifu City
From 19th of July to 29th of

Tel:058-270-1080

September in 2008, a special

http://www.city.gifu.lg.jp/c/40120461/4

exhibition “An antiwar monk: Shogen

0120461.html

Takenaka” was held to let people
know how bravely he acted as a
pacifist under the oppressive condition

Matsushiro Imperial Headquarters Peaceat the wartime in Japan. He was born

Memorial: Nagano

at the end of Edo era and worked as

There was an exhibition at a community

the head priest of Myosenji temple. In

center on December 6-7.

1937, as he gave a talk to the villagers

lantern, a box of gunpowder, military shoes

calling this war as a sin and an

and so forth.

aggression, he was denounced andTel＆Fax: 026-228-8415

later sentenced guilty under the

http://homepage3.nifty.com/kibounoie/

Exhibited were amilitary law and also he was punishedby the Otani school of the Shinshu
Sect of Buddhism because the school

Shizuoka Peace Center: Shizuoka City

supported national policy. He died in

On 17th of August in 2008, asuch a dishonorable situation but inmeeting of story telling with picture

2007, the Otani school conducted a

cards and talks about war experiences

rally for his restoration of honor.

were held. Four persons who were aThis exhibition showed the details ofsoldier, air raid victims, a settler to

his life and the process to his

Manchuria told separate experiences.

restoration of honor. Along with thisOn 28th of August, a field work

exhibition, a special lecture about his

visiting war-related sites was carried

life was given by Jin Daito, aout.
There is an exhibition of “Citizens

Buddhism priest, who researched
Takemaka and his action for peace.

of Shizuoka sent to Battlefields” from

Tel:058-268-1050

December 5th 2008 to May 31st 2009.
Exhibited were will by soldiers frombattle fields, relics, letters, photos andso forth.

Yanaizu Folkoer Museum: Gifu City
An exhibition “Ties between the

Tel:054-247-9641

Fax:054-247-9641

hometown and the battlefields” washttp://homepage2.nifty.com/shizuoka-hheld from 15th of July to 31st of August

eiwa/

in 2008. War related materials such as
good-luck charms, comfort letters to
the soldiers and replies from them,Numazugarlands to the soldiers from theHistory

people：Shizuoka

ofthehometown

were

24

City

MuseumofMeiji

A special exhibition “A Record of

On 7th and 9th of August in 2008, a
field work visiting war-related sites

Women’s association for National

was carried out to let people think of

Defense in Haruta village - The

war and peace. On 9th, those who wereFoundation for peace 2008” was heldschoolchildren and stayed at Numazu

from 19th of July to 24th of August in

wartime school for evacuees at that2008. At this museum, an exhibition

time gave a talk about their“The Foundation for peace” is held

experiences.

every year since 1990. This year

On August 6th Mr. Tomoya Satomaterials concerning the Haruita

talked about his war experiences

branch of The Women’s Association

using a picture-story of “A Girl withfor National Defense that were addeda White Flag”.

to the museum collection in 2007 wereChildren cooked

suiton, soup with dumpling made ofmainly displayed to show the relation

flour, that used to be food during the

between the local women and the wars

war.

from Meiji era to the end of the Second

Tel: 055-923-3335

Fax:055-925-3018

World War.

http://www.city.numazu.shizuoka.jp/kThis branch was founded by the local

urashi/sisetu/meiji/index.htm

housewives society in 1937 under thewartimecircumstance

after

the

Manchurian Incident. Other materials
Sakuragaoka

Museum:Toyokawa

related to evacuation of schoolchildren,

City,Aichi

local soldiers, substitutes, air raid and“An exhibition about The Navalthe like were also displayed. There isArsenal of Toyokawa - by pictures anda pictorial record and a catalogue ofphotographs” was held from 19th ofthe exhibition.

July to 31st of August in 2008. ThisOn 29th of August, a field work

exhibition is held every year since

visiting the relics of anti aircraft

1995 to convey the history of theemplacement in Miharashidai, Nogoya

Naval Arsenal and the air raid on it.

City was carried out.

This year the pictures painted by theTel:workers of the arsenal who witnessed

Fax:077-554-2755

the air raid and the aerial

http://www2.city.ritto.shiga.jp/hakubu

photographs taken by the U.S. were

tsukan077-554-2733

displayed.
Tel: 0533-85-3775

Fax: 0533-85-3776

http://www.city.toyokawa.lg.jp/tanto/b

Azai

unka/museum.html

Folklore

MuseumofHistoryand: Nagahama City,Shiga,
A special exhibition “The 6th
Ritto History Museum: Shiga

memorial exhibition of the end of the25

war: People who received draft notices

Tel:0748-32-7048- the fact brought to light by the

Fax:0748-32-7051

war-related materials” was held fromhttp://www.city.omihachiman.shiga.jp/

24th of July to 7th of September in 2008

contents_detail.php?co=kak&frmId=82

at the Local Study Center. In this3

exhibition, new materials based on thelatest interviews with the ex-soldiersand the families of the war dead in

Yasu City Historical and Folkloric

Osato village were added. They

Museum (Dotaku Museum): Shiga

showed about the mobilization systemA

specialsummerexhibitionand how it changed the local people’s“

lives.

problems - What we can do” was held

Items such as letters, diaries, afrom 17th of July to 31st of August in“ thousand-stitch

civilian

2008. It showed the master plan forwartime uniform, ID card, bullet ofenvironmental conservation of Yasu

the U.S. army as well as militaryCity,sword and money which melted whencooperation with local companies andA-bomb dropped on Hiroshima were

citizens.

displayed.

Tel:

A lecture about war experiences was

Fax:077-587-4413

given on 24th of August.

http://www.city.yasu.lg.jp/doc/kyouiku

Tel: 0749-74-0101

bu/hakubutukan/20071219c.html

belt ” ,Measures

which

to

will

environmentalbepracticed

in

077-587-4410

http://www.city.nagahama.shiga.jp/ind
ex/000012/002487.html
Kyoto Museum for World Peace: Kyoto
City
A special exhibition “World Press

Omihachiman City Local Material

Photo Exhibition 2008” was held at

Museum: Shiga
A special exhibition “A prayer for

Ritsumeikan University Biwako

peace No.3 ” was held from 12th ofKusatu Campus from 1st to 19th of

July to 17th of August in 2008 at the

October, at Kyoto Museum for World

old Banke residence. Materials such

Peace from 21st of October to 16th ofas letters from soldiers, a military

November and at Ritsumeikan Asia

handbook,

Pacific University from 19th to 30th ofanenlistment

record,children ’ s magazine, cloth-ration

November. Ritsumeikan University

coupons, lighting cover for blackout

holds this exhibition every year sincewere1995. As related events, a lecture bydisplayed.

There

is

an

explanatory material which contains

Mr. Goro Nakamura, a photowar experience stories and a list of thejournalist, was given on 28th of

exhibits.

October at Biwako Campus and a talk26

session by Mr. Nakamura and Dr

Japanese government in 1992 for

Ikuro Anzai, the director emeritus of

official apology and damages. This

Kyoto Museum for World Peace, wasexhibition showed the facts unveiled

held on 29th of October at Kinugasa

by the trial and the new action forCampus. Both talks focused on

return of remains.

damages from Agent Orange.

From 3rd to 30th of August in 2008,

From 21st of November to 21st of

the 38th mini exhibition “What is a

December in 2008, a special exhibition

National School” was held and items“Junior high school students insuch as clothes, toys, text books were1945” was held at Kyoto Museum fordisplayed to tell the life of theWorld Peace. 2008 was the 70thelementary school children at thatanniversary of the establishment oftime.

the National Mobilization Law. Under

The 39th mini exhibition “Photos inthis law, students were educated to bePhilippine THE LIVES 08 - garbage

cooperative with the national policy

mountain and everyday life in theand mobilized as student labors. Lotsslums” was held from 10th to 28th ofof them fell victims during the duty.

September. Students who areThis exhibition displayed about 200

members of an international NGO

materials concerned with students ingroup “RitsBLOH” in Ritsumeikan

their early and middle teens and tried

University joined a study tour

to compare with the lives of present

organized by Japanese NGO“SALT or

teenagers. Those who had been junior

Payatas Foundation Philippines” andhigh school students at that time gave

experienced the people’s life making

talks about their experiences during

their living by gathering garbage.

the period.

Photos taken by those students andFrom 8th to 26th of July in 2008, theactivities of SALT were displayed.

37th mini special exhibition

The 40th mini exhibition “Peace“The

lawsuit on Ukishima-maru incident –education practices at schools

for further gathering of the remains ofaffiliated to Ritsumeikan” was held

the victims” was held. On 24th offrom 19th of October to 5th of December

August in 1945, just after the end of

in 2008. This aimed to show how

the war, a naval transport ship named

junior, junior high and high school

Ukishima-maru, carrying mainly

students feel and think of social

Korean people who were on their ways

problems like peace and human rights

home, exploded and sank in Maizuru

issues.

Bay in Kyoto. Since JapaneseTel:government hadn’t compensated theFax:075-465-7899

Korean victims for the damages fromhttp://www.ritsumei.ac.jp

this incident, the family members ofthe victims went to court against

27

075-465-8151

Maizuru

Repatriation

schools and elementary schools

Memorialchanged their educational goals into

Museum: Kyoto“training patriotic nations”. There is

The 2nd special exhibition in fiscal
2008 “The project of repatriation anda leaflet carrying a list of thethe voluntary activities by Maizuru

materials and the explanations.

City and the citizens” produced by theTel:specific non-profit organization

075-931-1121“Society of repatriation narrative in

http://www.city.muko.kyoto.jp/shisets

Maizuru” was held from 1st of August

u/shiryokan.html

075-932-1182

Fax:

to 30th of October in 2008. This
exhibition displayed materials such as
requirement letters from the then

Oyamazaki-cho Museum of History:

mayor of Maizuru City to the citizens

Kyoto
A mini exhibition “A Foundation

asking for their support, news articles
and photos to convey how thefor Peace - Modern schools inresidents in Maizuru supported the

Yamazaki” was held from 12th to 24th

returnees and their families forof August in 2008 to focus on thethirteen years between 1945 and 1958.

change in education at the wartime.

Tel: 0773-68-0836

Displayed were materials such as

Fax:0773-68-0370

photos of a scene of classroom in
http://www.maizuru-bunkajigyoudan.owhich students were being taughtr.jp

about the Naval Kamikaze Party
against Pearl Harbor and Gods of the
War and a monument to the war deadMuko City Museum: Kyoto

erected in a schoolyard, photo albums

From 19th of July to 31st of August

sent from sister schools in Ohio, U.S.,in 2008, the summer mini exhibition

the completion albums from 1929 to“’08 Exhibition of the influence of1942, the public historical records

war in the people’s life: School andrelated to the schools and playing

war” was held. Every summer, thiscards with military pictures.

museum holds an exhibition about theTel: 075-952-6288

wartime life with materials donated

http://www.kiis.or.jp/rekishi/kyoto/ya

by the citizens. This year materials

mazaki2.html

related to schools such as “combined
textbooks for youth schools” whichcontained articles about chemical

Osaka International Peace Center(Peace

weapons and Manchuria and Taiwan

Osaka): Osaka City

as Japanese colonies and picture cards

A special exhibition of “The Fear ofabout voluntary labor were displayed.

Nuclear Weapons: Damages done by the

They explained that schools like youth

Atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki”

28was held from September 25th to December
th

27 .

and Kawasaki Peace Museum.

The first atomic bomb in human

A guitar concert for peace, happinesshistory was dropped on Hiroshima at 8:15

and life was held by a group calledthon August 6 , 1945 and the second one on

Chimeido on August 9th. Music of “People

Nagasaki at 11:02 on August 9th, 1945.

who promote peace” and “Children who

Urban districts were ruined and many

don’t know War” were played.

people were killed.

Takako Iga, the president of the Association

Survivors were

Ms.

seriously damaged not only physically butof the Injured and the Bereaved by U.S.

also psychologically and many of them are

Air-Raids on Osaka, gave a lecture on her

still suffering sixty-three years after the

war experiences and wish for peace with an

atomic bombing.

emphasis on her feeling on making a list ofth

The week from Octoberth

24 to 30 is the U.N. Disarmament week.

the people who were killed by U.S.

Human beings still have fear of nuclear

Air-Raids on Osaka.

weapons considering such situation as the

Mr. Shinji Aki, a local historian, had aincreasing number of nuclear nations likeguided tour taking some people to damaged

India and Pakistan.

areas by U.S. air-raids in Sakai City on
November 23rd, 2008.

Photo panels and artifacts on the

Osaka wasatomic bombing kept at Peace Osaka were

air-raided many times in 1945 and was

exhibited in this special exhibition so that

destroyed by the fire. On July 10th Sakai

visitors would learn the reality of damages

City was also air-raided and many housesby the atomic bombing again and think what

were burnt down: 1860 people were killed

they can do for the abolition of nuclear

and 70,000 people suffered from damages.

weapons and realize eternal peace in theParticipants of the guided tour learned whatworld.

happened during the war and damages by

Exhibited were thirty photo panels

that show the reality of the victims’

the U.S. air-raids.

suffering and the situation of nuclear

Films have been shown on weekends

weapons, thirty artifacts such as meltso that many people will be able to see films

window glass, tiles that were exposed toon war and peace kept at the peace center.

heat and radiation, a model of a bomber ofThis is also a chance to think what to do to

B29 and an atomic bomb dome, paintings

hand down peaceful world to children. A

by atomic bomb survivors that show theirfilm of “Barefoot Gen” was shown in July.

experiences (reproduction) and so forth.

It is about a boy and his family inThis was held with the cooperation ofHiroshima who had a hard life, but lived

Japan Association of Peace Museums

strongly.

consisting of Hiroshima Peace Memorial

Hiroshima” was shown in August.

Museum, Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum,a story about Ms. Yasuko Kimura who lost

Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial

her mother, elder sister and younger brotherMuseum, Peace Osaka, Kanagawa Plaza forby the atomic bomb while she evacuated.

Global Citizenship, Kyoto Museum for

A film of “Karakasa Sanshin” about theWorld Peace, Peace Museum of Saitama

history of Okinawa was shown in August.

29

A film of “A White Town ofThis isAn animation of “Ashita Gankini Rare” (Becontinued longer, the government started toCheerful Tomorrow” was also shown and it

use everything for the war.

is based on Ms. Kayoko Ebina’s original

people, capital and resources were

work.

controlled and managed by the government

A film of “Kamiya Etsuko’s Youth”

Japanese

was also shown and this is about people’s

making the National Mobilization Law andlife in 1945 in Kagoshima where there were

National Conscription Law. Moreover, anbases of special attack corps.

organization to control the people was made.

In

September a film of “Spring in Yakaolang:

People were mobilized to war under thea Portrait of an Afghan Family” was shown.

name of “the defense of the back of theThis is a documentary film on Afghanistan

battlefield.”On the other hand, oppressed people,

where war and refugees exist in daily life
aiming at better future. In October Akiyuki

women and handicapped people were forced

Nosaka’s film of “A Story that should not

to cooperate with waging the war trying tobe Forgotten” was held.

aim at improving their social positions.

In November afilm of “Earth Symphony No. 4” was shown

Women were educated to give birth toand this made clear that everything on thebabies who will become soldiers in theearth is connected using music, images andfuture.

evidence. Another film of “Earth Symphonyestablished for workers to promote

No. 5” was also shown. A film of “Sakhalin

munitions industry.

in the summer of 1945: Gate of Ice andat making visitors think of people’s lives

Snow” was also shown.

The Soviet

and rights under the national mobilization

military invaded the south of Sakhalin

during the war using posters and materials

which is an island in the north of Hokkaido

related to the war kept at the peace center.

in August, 1945.

A lifetime employment system wasThis exhibition aimed

A film of “A train came to see

There were young

women who stayed at a post office to work

elephants” was shown on August 2nd, 2008.

as an operator even after August 15 (whenAs for the story, it was ordered to kill not

Japan was defeated) until their death by the

only elephants but also other animals such

Soviet military.

as tigers and lions in zoos by theTel:06-6947-7208

government during World War II.

Fax:06-6943-6080

This isbecause it was dangerous if cities were

http://www.peace-osaka.or.jp/

air-raided by U.S. bombers and as a result
many animals were killed.

There were

Osaka Human Rights Museum(Liberty

four elephants at Higashiyama Zoo in

Osaka)

Nagoya City in Aichi Prefecture.

: Osaka City

straws for elephants were used as fuel.
Two elephants died because of the lack of

An exhibition of “War and National
st

Mobilization” was held from July 1 toth

September 28 .

Even

food.

Japan invaded China in

But two elephants could survive

because keepers took good care of them.

the 1930s and continued to invade other

After the war ended, many children started

Asian and Pacific areas.

to go to see the zoo riding on a train fromAs the war

30

all over Japan.

who

A song was made based on

came

to

Osaka

this story and it is popular in peace

multi-culture in Osaka.

education.

book was published.
nd

by

sea,

An illustrated

The 62 Special exhibition on the

A lecture of “Osaka in Asia: Easthistory of exchanges in Osaka, Asia was

Asia and Naniwatsu” was given by Shoji

th

st

and

held from October 15 to December 21 .

Ueda, Emeritus Professor of Kyoto

Osaka had exchanges with people in China,

University and Emeritus Director of Osaka

Korea, Rhukyu(Okinawa),

Prefecture Central Library on November

Ezochi(Hokkaido) and so forth using ports

30th, 2008.

in Naniwatsu and Sakai in the ancient time

Tel： 06-6561-5891

and the Middle Ages and developed its

http：//www.liberty.or.jp/

history and culture.

Fax： 06-6561-5995

In the modern time

Osaka had exchanges with various places inJapan as a financial city by sea, which led to

Sakai City Peace and Human Rights

new trends in culture, thought and education.

MuseumKorean correspondents started to come to(Phoenix Museum):

Osaka

Japan again after 1596 when Hideyoshi

An exhibition of photo posters on

Toyotomi tried to rule Korea in vain

Hiroshima and Nagasaki was held from July

(Keichou War).

2nd to September 28th, 2008.

Koreans visited Osaka on

It aimed at

the way to Edo(Tokyo) going through Seto

showing the horror of nuclear weapons, theInland Sea by ship and they were welcomed

misery of war, the preciousness of peacein Osaka.

and life through the posters.

In modern time Osaka became theAn exhibition on life and humanmost advanced industrial city calledrights of the Ainu was held from October 1st“Manchester in the East” because they

to December 28th.

learned new technology such as spinning.

and discrimination against the Ainu throughMany people started going to Osaka to work

panes and appealed visitors to understandfrom Korea and Okinawa because ocean

the importance of building a society inlanes were started.

which people understand, recognize andThey started to work in

Osaka though they were discriminatedrespect one another.

against.

Tel:072-270-8150

This exhibition shows the history of

It showed life, culture

Fax:072-270-8159

http://www.city.sakai.osaka.jp/city/info/_jin

Osaka, an entrance to Asia, from the ancient

ken/time to modern time using various materials.
It aims at rediscovering “Osaka in Asia”
through its history and culture today in the

Suita Peace Memorial Center: Osakast

21 Century and thinking of the future of

An exhibition of photo panels was held

Osaka.

from August 19th to 31st.

Exhibited are introduced culture in

Osaka, correspondents from Korea andTel：06-6387-2593

Ryukyu, Manchester in the East and people

http://www.city.suita.osaka.jp/kobo/jinken/p31

pupils in Himeji City, calligraphy works,

age/000338.shtml

and illustrations drawn by students ofHimeji High School of Technology.
A peace concert was held on August

Osaka Museum of History : Osaka Citythrd

A special exhibition on the 90 anniversary

3 and Himeji City Children Corus Groupof uprisings for rice in Osaka and the birthand Himeji City Children Corus Groupof social welfare projects was held from

(Junior) attended it.

thth

July 9 to August 25 .

The price of rice

Mr. Isamu Nitta, thehead of the Association of Atomic Bombwent up and people could not buy rice,

Victims in Himeji City, talked about his

which led to uprisings for rice in various

experiences.

cities in Japan.

Exhibited were theAn exhibition of letters from a

uprising for rice in Osaka, the establishment

battlefield showing soldiers’ thinking ofof a social welfare system, social projects inwife and children was held from October 4th

Osaka and so forth showing the impact of

to December 23rd.

the uprising for rice upon Osaka.

Densaku

There

Ninety letters that Mr.

Hiki sent to his wife and children

was also an exhibition of records ofare exhibited.

merchants who sold firewood and charcoal

China, but he was transferred to Okinawa inthat were also attacked by people in the1944 and was killed in the battle inuprising.

Okinawa.

An illustrated book was

published.

He was drafted and sent to

Most of his letters were sentfrom China and it is about his worry about

TEL: 06-6946-5728

FAX:06-6946-2662

his family.

http://www.mus-his.city.osaka.jp/

Before he was transferred to

Okinawa, he wrote his will and sent it to his
family.
Besides his letters, exhibited are his

Himeji Historical Peace Center: Hyogo

relics, a paper informing his family of his

An anti-nuclear exhibition for peacethdeath, his uniform, a dixie, a helmet, photos,stwas held from July 17 to August 31 , 2008.

maps and so forth.

This has been held every year since 1986

visitors would think what war means forin order to appeal visitors to understand thefamily and feel the preciousness of peace.

It was held so thatmeaning of Anti-Nuclear Declaration for

Mr. Gondai Kurota talked about his

Peace that was declared by Himeji City on

experiences on U.S. air-raids on Himeji CitythMarch 6 , 1985.

rd

on November 3rd, 2008.

This was the 23 time ofthe exhibition.

Tel:0792-91-2525

The main exhibits are materials on

Fax:0792-91-2526

http://www.city.himeji.hyogo.jp/heiwasiryo/

damages by the atomic bomb (borrowed
from Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum),
photo panels of atomic bomb survivors (rentNara Prefecture Library and Informationfrom Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

Center: Nara City

and Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum),An exhibition of “Manchuria seen byposters for peace drawn by children andChildren: A School Excursion to32

Manchuria” was held from October 1st toth

December 27 .

by Kodansha, a guide to Chinese language,

The Japanese once called

Manchuria for Children and so forth.

the north-eastern part of China as

Tel:0742-34-2111“Manchuria” and regarded it as a special

http://www.library.pref.nara.jp/sentai/gallerarea.

y.htmlJapan aimed at preventing Russia

Fax:0742-34-2777

Peninsula and Manchuria in order to defend
Japan.

Then Japan annexed Korea after

the Sino-Japanese War and theHiroshima Peace Memorial Museum:

Russo-Japanese War and got a lease ofHiroshima City

Lüshun and Dalian in Liaodong Peninsula
and a part of railroad from Russia.

An exhibition of “Atomic bombed
Buildings Speak” was held from July 24th toIt wasthis time when a company of Railroad in

December 15th.

South Manchuria was founded.

seen from the sky, ruined Hiroshima,

Exhibited were Hiroshima

Manchuria began to be calledsurvivors at the center of the explosion of“Japan’s Lifeline” because Manchuria was

the atomic bomb, a bridge for life, wooden

regarded as a place for getting resources forbuildings today, being reborn, for new

Japan, for accepting some Japanese who

activities, common heritage in the world

were not welcomed to live in Japan and also

and conclusion.

for defending Japan.

Tel:082-241-4004

When the depression

http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/

occurred in 1929, many people began tothink so more.

Fax:082-542-7941

In 1931 Japan invaded

China causing Manchuria Incident and built
Manchuria setting Puyi, the last emperor, aHumanmagistrate.

Fukuyama City : Hiroshima

Japan was at the helm ofRightsandPeace

MuseumAn exhibition of “War Remains in

Manchuria in politics and defense and it issaid that about 1,550,000 Japanese lived

Fukuyama: Stone Monuments Show

there.

Precious Life” was held from July 8th toAugust 31st, 2008.

The exhibition of “Manchuria seen by

Today memory on war

Children” showed how children saw

has been forgotten and it is getting difficult

Manchuria and what they experienced.

to convey it to future generations.

Manchuria as a place for school excursion isimportant to explore war remains and use

introduced: exhibited are an itinerary tothem for building peace.

China, a guide to a school excursion, photos

was held to appeal to visitors to think of theof students in Osaka Women Teacher’s

importance of peace.

So it isThe exhibition

An exhibition on the Ainu’s history

College who went to Manchuria as an
excursion, a national anthem of Manchuria,

and culture was held from September 17th toa catalogue of Manchuria Railroad, aNovember 14th, 2008.

calendar of South Manchuria Railroad

inform visitors of the history and culture ofCompany, a travel guide to Manchuria, a

the Ainu and the present situation in ordermap for seeing Manchuria, a picture bookto understand the Ainu as well as thinking

33

The purpose is toThey were donated by citizens there.

of the significance of respecting and sharing

Ms. Masako Okada, a member of theone another and each culture.
Tel:084-924-6789

Association of Speaking of War

Fax:084-924-6850

http://www.city.fukuyama.hiroshima.jp/jinkExperiences at Takamatsu City, gave aenheiwashiryoukan/

lecture of “Speaking of U.S. Air-Raids on
Takamatsu through Fieldworks” on August
26th for teachers who promote peace

Hiroshima

PrefectureArt

education.

Museum:former staff of the museum, gave a lecture

Hiroshima Cityof “The Role of Teachers to Promote Peace

An exhibition of war and art was held fromth

Mr. Hiroyuki Okazaki, thethJuly 8 to October 5 , 2008.

As for

Education”.

artworks during the war, underground art

Tel：087-833-7722

works and works showing restless age were

http://www.city.takamatsu.kagawa.jp/1794.

exhibited.

html

As for artworks on evacuation,

Fax：087-861-7724

they were painted by artists who evacuatedduring the war.

As for artworks after thewar, exhibited were a work on the 5th LuckyMuseumof Ehime History andDragon, a fishing boat exposed to the U.S.

Culture :Nisiiyo City ,Ehime

hydrogen bomb test at the Marshall Islands

A special exhibition of “Ehime andin 1954 painted by Manngame Nai, a

War: War Memory to Convey to Future

painting of an Atomic Bomb Dome byGenerations for the Peaceful Future” wasKiyoshi Hirano and so forth.

held from July 9th to September 7th, 2008.

Tel:082-221-6246 Fax:082-223-1444

Over sixty years passed since the end of the

http://www1.hpam-unet.ocn.ne.jp/

war and it is getting difficult to listen towhat happened in the past from people who
experienced the war.

How to spend the

Takamatsu Civic Culture Center, Peace

rest of the time of the old is a big issue forMuseumboth the old and the young.

: Kagawa

Japanese, should not forget all the sufferingAnexhibition

of

“For

Peace

We, thefrom damages done by Japan’s invasion and

Education: Battle in Okinawa and U.S.

peace which we enjoy is based on many

Air-raids on Takamatsu with an emphasis

people who were killed during the war.

on Buildings” was exhibited from August

There are still a lot of problems caused byrdth

23 to September 7 , 2008.

the war that should be solved even today.

A special exhibition of “Military

It is important to understand the war not

Officers and Soldiers” has been held fromonly from national viewpoints but alsostst

October 1 , 2008 until January 31 , 2009.

individual and community viewpoints.

War relics kept by the museum were

Various wars in the modern time andexhibited at Murei Community Center inthe process to Japan’s defeat are introduced

Murei Town on November 1

stnd

and 2 .

in this exhibition.

34

Especially the infantry

regiment No. 22 from Ehime, soldiers who

http://www.city.matsuyama.ehime.jp/sikiha

suffered fromku/

death and ordinary people

who suffered from strict control.

Facingthe past does not lead to glorifying the past
but it can be a guide to think of building

Naruto German House (Hinweise furpeace.

Besucher): Tokushima

The aim of the exhibition is to give

A journal on German prisoners of war

a chance to people from the old who
experienced the war to children to think ofin concentration camps as a result of the war

peace which we enjoy today.

in Qingdao in China in World War I was
published.

Exhibited were script of a festival to

Nineteen members of German-Japan

call spirits of the dead, a newspaper article
reporting the defeat of Nanjing (made of

Association in Trier City of Germanysilk), letters by soldiers in battlefields, wills,

visited German Museum.

letters informing people of soldiers’ death, aavailable at the website.

bloodstained vest, Emperor’s Order on

Tel：088-689-0099.

Education, school textbooks, a poster

E-mail：info@doitsukan.com

More news is

Fax：088-689-0909

calling for bonds, shell of incendiary bombs,
fliers by U.S. military, photos of air-raids
and so forth.

An illustrated book was

Grassroots House: Kochi City
Secretary-General: Hinata Myoujin

published.

We are quite active in Peace Waves in

Related lectures were given: Mr.
Makoto Hirai, a curator, talked about thesummer.

exhibition on Ehime and the war on July

held at a temple

th

19 .

In fall a bio-music concert was
and we get relaxed.

In

winter there are not big events, but we are

Ms. Masako Mizuno, the head of theactive quietly.

Association of Recording U.S. Air-Raids on

About 200 people enjoyed the

Uwajima, talked about air-raids on Uwajimathon July 26 , and Mr. Makoto Hirai talked

bio-music concert using the Japanese

about No. 22 regiment in the battle in

Bamboo flute, the guitar, the bass guitar,th

Okinawa on August 8 .

and the piano at Chikurinnji Temple.

Tel: 0894-62-6222

use art for peace such as music, paintings,

http://www.e-rekihaku.jp/

poetry and drama.

We

A peace action was done over 330
times every week to protest against the war
Matsuyama

City

Shiki

of Iraq and demanded Japan Self Defense

Memorial

Museum: Ehime

Forces come back home from Iraq.

An exhibition of “Rebellious Journalists:

is also a lecture on peace and culture once a

Katsunan Kuga, Gaikotsu Miyatake andmonth.

th

Ruiko Kuroiwa” was held from July 19 toThere

I think that it is very important forsuch activities to continue to exist.

thAugust 17 , 2008.

There is Constitution Forest that

Tel: 089-931-5566

aims at protecting the environment and the35peaceful Constitution.

Hiroshima, but it was found that the stone

Now it is possible

to enjoy the forest with red and yellow

was a head of a lion from Urakami Catholicleaves after saplings were planted in 1995.

church in Nagasaki.

A signboard was painted again on

Professor Atsuhira Tagai of TokyothNovember 4 and it looks beautiful now.

University.

The Grassroots House is relatively
However,precious materials.

we

have

The mystery was shown using

panels and the stones.

small in comparison with other peacemuseums.

It was made clear by

An exhibition of “Nagasaki

many

Association of Testimony: 40 years of

I hope that you will

Recording Experiences by the atomic

visit Grassroots House when you come tobomb!” was held from August 5th to 24th.

Kochi.

The movement to record testimony ofhibakusha started in 1968 and it was the 40th
anniversary in 2008.

NagasakiAtomicBombOver seventy books

on records of testimonies were published by

Museum:the association and over 1000 hibakusha

Nagasaki City
A photo exhibition by Teruaki

wrote and talked about their experiences.
th

Higashimatsu was held from July 25 toth

September 30 , 2008.

The testimonies are full of hibakusha

They were donatedsuffering from miserable reality and theto Nagasaki City by Mr. Higashimatsu inafter-effects of the atomic bomb on them as

March, 1996.

well as their anger against the war and theatomic bomb.

An exhibition on atomic bombing
collected at the museum was held fromth

The exhibition on thehistory of the Nagasaki Association ofthNovember 5 , 2008 to January 15 , 2009.

Testimony made visitors think of theAtomic bombed artifacts were exhibited.

importance of the abolition of nuclear

Tel:095-844-1231

weapons and peace.

Fax:095-846-5170

http://www1.city.nagasaki.nagasaki.jp/na-b

Tel:095-818-4247

omb/museum/

http://www.nagasakips.com/old/index.html

Nagasaki Peace Museum: Nagasaki City

Sendai History Museum: Kagoshima

An exhibition on atomic bombing wasthrdheld from July 15 to August 3 .

Fax:095-827-7878

A mini-exhibition commemorating the endof World War II was held from August 5th

In

Nagasaki 150 atomic bombed stones were

to 24th.

collected by Professor Takeo Watanabe who

Tel：0996-20-2344

studied geology at Tokyo University as a

http：//rekishi.sendai-net.jp/index2.htm

Fax：0996-20-2848

member of an investigation team ofdamages by the atomic bombs sent by
Academic Study Congress of the Ministry

Okinawaof Education.

Museum: Itoman City,Okinawa

A stone shaped as a stonePrefecture

Peace

The 9th special exhibition ofguardian dog was thought to be from

36

Memorial

“Okinawa from Confusion after the War to

Tsushima-maru

thRecovery” was held from October 10 tost

December 21 .

It showed people’s

newexhibitionoflMuseum:

Naha City,
Okinawastrength, toughness, and broad-mindedness.
A

MemoriaThe

artifacts

10th

specialexhibition

of“Tsushima-maru and Evacuation” was heldcollected at the museum was held from Junefrom July 20th to September 15th, 2008.

20th to July 31st.

Tel:098-941-3515

Fax:098-863-3683

http://www.tsushimamaru.or.jp/

An exhibition of “Messages for Peaceby Children” was held at the museum from
June 23rd to July 10h, and also at Yaeyama
Peace Memorial from July 16th to 23rd.

Naha City History Museum: Okinawa

An exhibition of “War and Children”
stAn exhibition of “Great Tug-of-War inth

was held from June 1 to July 4 so that

Naha and Air-Raids on October 10th invisitors would think of the preciousness of1944” was held from October 3rd to 29th.

peace.

The history of the great tug-of-war in Naha

Exhibited were school textbooks

before, during and after the war, magazines

City and banners were introduced.

published during the war, diaries by girls of

Tel: 098-869-5266

Yaeyama Middle School and so forth.

http://www.rekishi-archive.city.naha.okina

An exhibition of “Children and theFax:098-869-5267

wa.jp/

Battle in Okinawa: Picture Book ofGrandpa’s Sea” was held from June 1st to
30th.

Many children were killed at thebattle in Okinawa.

Mini-Exhibition “The Tragedy of Gaza”

Exhibited werewasurgently

heldatRitsumeikan

children before, during and after the war

University

using photos, artifacts and panels of the

From January 9 in 2009, Kyoto Museum for

picture book of Grandpa’s Sea.

World Peace at Ritsumeikan University,

This wasmade for children so that they could thinkurgently organized a small exhibition on theof war and peace.

tragedy of Gaza with panels prepared by the

An exhibition of “Children inmuseum and the photographs sent from theththeater of conflict. The museum suggested

Poverty” was held from October 27 tothNovember 16 .

The aim was to maketo the visitors what can be done bychildren to know about poor children in theindividuals to stop bloodshed in Gaza by

world and think what they can do fromintroducing website for international

global perspectives living in Japan which is

petition, a list of fax numbers of Japanesepeaceful and rich.

political parties, and the donation of Japan

Tel：098-997-3844

Fax：098-997-3947

Volunteer Center for medical aid. Honorary

http：//www.peace-museum.pref.okinawa.jp

Director Ikuro Anzai and Director
Tomohiko Takasugi issued joint statements
on Gaza Issue. The following is the second
joint statement issued on 20 January 2009.

37

“We Demand Israel to Keep up Ceasefire

incurred criticism against Israel fromin Gaza and to Sincerely Sit at theinternational communities.
Use of military forces as a tool to

Negotiating Table for Peace”
We issued a joint statement about

make the opponent give in enhances hatred

the tragedy of Gaza entitled “Put the Breakand hostility, and makes rational settlement

on Israel-Hamas Conflict by the Power ofof the problem more and more difficult.

International Public Opinion.”

Israel declared ceasefire and withdrew

But the military conflict in Gaza got

military forces from Gaza. We request bothworse day by day especially with thesides self-restraint and strongly demand

escalation of intentional use of arms by

Israel to keep up ceasefire, and sincerely

Israel. The number of death in Gaza

participate in the process for peace building

exceeded 1,300 and more than 5,000 people

in the international framework including

were injured, which can never be

United Nations and USA under theoverlooked from the humanitarian point ofadministration of new government. Israeli

view. In the previous statement, we did not

Government and Palestinian Interim Self-

take the position to condemn one side from

Government Authority should faithfully sit

the other. We pointed out the inhumanity ofat the negotiation table and seriously

the use of military forces to settle

discuss for the contrivance of a road map tointernational dispute, and demanded to put

peaceful coexistence.

the break on the inhumane violence in Gaza

20 January 2009

based on the essence of Article 9 of theConstitution of Japan which forever
renounced the use of force as means ofsettling international disputes. But, to ourNews of the International
Network of Museums for Peacedisappointment, intentional andorganizational massacres in Gaza did notcease. It has been pointed out that there is

Inspiring

an ambition to exclusively possess the

Exhibition

Available

Now:

Englandmining rights of oil off-the coast of Gaza,

Women Peacemakers is the latest in a series

which never justify the use of militaryof five travelling exhibitions from The

forces. So many innocent children andPeace Museum, UK, which are available forblameless citizens have been robbed of theirborrowing.

lives, and fear and hatred of Palestinians

Women Peacemakers

highlights women’s contributions, bothhave been reproduced on a progressive scale

contemporary and historical, to the peace

day after day. Attacks were even mademovement.

against the inhabitant of Gaza who hanged

The exhibition informs

audiences of women’s involvement in peaceout the white flag, the United Nations Reliefbuilding and challenges audiences by posing

and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees

thought-provoking questions.

in the Near East (UNRWA) and the buildingof international mass media, which rapidly

38

The exhibition consists of 28 A2-sized

1994 with the election of Nelson Mandela,panels (and 11 A-3-sized Japanesethe prisoner who became president, is atranslation panels) which can be hung inclimax in the saga of a nation's resistance,

just minutes.

courage and fortitude.

Panels contain text andcolourful images and photographs which
The exhibits have been assembled andillustrate the story of women peacemakers.

organised by a multi-disciplinary team ofcurators, film-makers, historians andEducational materials, both at the primary

designers. They include provocative film

and secondary levels, which supplement thefootage, photographs, text panels andexhibition, are also available.

artefacts illustrating the events and humanstories that are part of the epic saga, known

There is no cost for borrowing theas apartheid. A series of 22 individual

exhibition, but borrowers are asked to coverexhibition areas takes the visitor through athe cost of mailing the exhibition andinsurance.

dramatic emotional journey that tells a story

Cost for mailing (withof a state-sanctioned system based on racial

insurance) the exhibition to Japan (fromdiscrimination and the struggle of theUK) and back to the UK is £251 (November
2008 Parcel Force prices).

majority to overthrow this tyranny. For

The exhibition

anyone wanting to understand andcan be mailed anywhere in the world.

experience what apartheid South Africa wasreally like, a visit to the Apartheid Museum

For more information and to enquire about

is fundamental.

bookings, please contact The Peace
Museum, UK, by e-mail at

The museum is a beacon of hope showing

peacemuseum@bradford.gov.uk

the world how South Africa is coming toor telephone at +44 (0)1274 434009.

terms with its oppressive past and working
towards a future that all South Africans cancall their own.
(This is from the website.)
Nothern Parkway & Gold Reef Road,
Ormonde, Johannesburg, SA
Postal: PO Box 82283 Southdale 2135
Johannesburg, South Africa
Tel: +27 11 309 4700
http://www.apartheidmuseum.org/

The Apartheid Museum: South
AfricaThe Apartheid Museum opened in 2001 andis acknowledged as the pre-eminentmuseum in the world dealing with 20th
century South Africa at the heart of which isthe apartheid story. Beginning in 1948, theThe Museum on the Seam: Jerusalem

white elected National Party government
The Museum on the Seam is a

implemented the policy of apartheid whichsocio-political contemporary art museum

turned 20 million people into second classlocated in Jerusalem. The Museum in its

citizens, damning them to a life of servitude,unique way, presents art as a language withhumiliation and abuse. Their liberation in

no boundaries in order to raise controversial

39

social issues for public discussion. At theconfrontation with their surroundings, andcenter of the changing exhibitions in thethrough the prism of anxiety to examine

Museum stand the national, ethnic andtheir responses as injurers and as injured -economic seam lines in their local andwith the aim of understanding anduniversal contexts.

influencing the dynamics of social and

The Museum is committed to examining thepolitical relations.

social reality within our regional conflict, to

The Museum is situated in a building

advancing dialogue in the face of discord

constructed in 1932 by the Arab-Christianand to encouraging social responsibility thatarchitect, Anton Baramki. While Jerusalem

is based on what we all have in common

was divided (1948-1967), the building

rather than what keeps us apart. Between

served as a military outpost (the Turjeman

May 2005 and June 2008 the Museum has

Post) which stood on the seam line between

presented a series of exhibitions on the

Israel and Jordan across from Mandelbaum

theme of human rights. The series wasGate, the only crossing point between theopened with DEAD END that dealt with thetwo sides of the divided city.

threat that violence poses to our social

The Museum on the Seam was establishedfabric. The second exhibition in the series

in 1999 with the generous support of the

EQUAL AND LESS EQUAL opened in

von Holtzbrinck family of Germany,

September 2006. It dealt with work/slavery

through the Jerusalem Foundation and by

and exposed the distressed existence of man

the initiative of the designer and curator of

in a world of globalization and migration.

the Museum, Raphie Etgar. (This is fromIn the summer of 2007 BARE LIFE opened

the website.)at the Museum, the third exhibition and lastMuseum on the Seam, 4 Chel Handasa st.,P.O.B. 1649, Jerusalem 91016 ISRAEL |Tel.
+972-2-6281278,
Fax.
+972-2-6277061
http://www.coexistence.art.museum/Coex/I
ndex.asp

in the series dealing with human rights. The
exhibition, which closed in June 2008, dealt
with the disintegrating line between
abnormal and normal situations. The exhibit
pointed to the dangerous place where a
temporary emergency situation can be

Peace Museum in Collegno: Italy

turned into a legitimized status quo
accepted by the silent majority, a situation

Why a museum?

that can in the end lead to a paranoia of
suspicion and to the use of violence toNormally, the idea of a museum

re-establish public order.

evokes an unchanging, boring, passive

Currently the Museum is showing

place. Nevertheless, the concept of

exhibition HEARTQUAKE

museum has incredibly changed overwhich isdedicated to exploring anxiety in its local

the past years, thanks to the efforts ofand universal contexts. HeartQuake seeks toan original museum science, capable

expose and to accentuate people’s emotional40

of reaching the public by using new

Italy still does not possess a museum

communication technologies that turnfor peace. After the international

the place into a thriving hub formuseums for Peace Conference held in

culture and interchange. Recently,

Guernica, Spain, from 1 to 6 May ofcultural political agendas have shown

the current year, an agreement was

the validity of the preceding remarks

reached to start promoting a nationalas they now include museums in their

network in our Country, following thedevelopment strategies.

example of those States alreadymoving in the same direction. (Japan’s

Why a peace museum?

network already has some fifty

A museum for peace has a special,museums, Germany’s eight, France

stronger strategic meaning since it

two and many other countries have at

strives to promote a culture of peace,least one, for a grand total of roughly

non-violence and human rights starting

one hundred museums for peace allfrom the territory it belongs to. The

around the planet…). Collegno,

public should be stimulated by

supported by strongly motivatedmultimedia presentations of any

people, candidates itself to becoming

violation of the abovementioned

the catalyst for a culture medium at thevalues (violations occurring also

origin of an Italian network that will

thanks to our unsuspecting support),

stretch from the north to the south

though it should also be emotionally(there is a project for a museum in San

involved in the matter in order to learnRemo). The Collegno museum isabout all those peace initiatives thatmeant for an international audiencemass media usually choose to overlook.

and is a political choice destined to

A museum for peace then becomes a

involve the capital of the Province asworkshop-museum, awell.

laboratory-museum, where the

The aim of this work is to initiate thevisitor/spectator becomes aprocess that will finally bring aprotagonist; where non-violent

peacelab-museum to our city. Our careintervention initiatives are devised;

will be aimed at a shared planning that

where training courses are carried out

will involve all the forces that operate

together with study and action

on the territory, so that the process

workshops. Such a museum evolves

itself will constitute a learning training,

continuously, being a dynamic process

and a peace run for the wholeopen to everybody’s contribution.

community.

Why in Collegno?

41

The aim of the peacelab-museum is topolitics of blame, demonize the other andpromote peace on a cultural level andsuggest that a head-on collision between theto provide instruments that will enable

two was unavoidable. In addition, powerfuljustification is offered by the proponents ofthe population to transform internal

these contrasting views in favoring savagery

crisis, and to put itself as a peace signand bloodshed in the name of war against

in international conflicts.

terrorism and in the name of safeguarding

Such instruments include information,

one’s faith, culture, freedom andcompetence and skills for an active

sovereignty.

nonviolence work: for constructive

Contrasting Perspectives

actions of decentralized cooperation,

By any criterion or count, both thenonviolent interposition, resistance toperspectives are conflict-fuelling andwar and to violations of human rights.

dehumanizing. Each dehumanizes the other.

Such a complex task needs to deal

One of these portrays the Muslim societies

proceeding step by step.

as brutal, primitive and violent, holds Islam

http://www.comune.collegno.to.it/siti-ospiti/c

responsible for the widespread violence andollegnopace/eng/museum/museum.html

justifies the US invasion and destruction of(With thanks to Lucetta Sanguinetti)

Afghanistan and Iraq as harsher but
necessary corrective and civilizing actions.
It projects the Muslim societies as failed or

Building Peace in Muslim Societies:

failing states and as perpetrators of acts ofPotential Role of Museums for Peace

violence and terrorism all over the world.

By Syed Sikander Mehdi: Pakistan
On the other hand, the media in the Muslim
Introductionsocieties as well as the think tanks andEver since the publication of Samuel

power elites have developed a contrasting

Huntington’s article on clash of civilization

perspective. It focuses on the grievances ofin Foreign Affairs Journal in 1993 andthe Muslim societies and blames the Westespecially after 9/11, two perspectives on

for all the failures. The list of grievances is

Islam and Muslim societies seem tolong enough and it includes: plundering of

dominate the global political discourse.

the resources by the European colonizers;

Both are popular in their respective

leaving behind conflict-generating legacies

constituencies. One has been developed byand sowing conflicts in territories where thethe powerful Western media, academia,

people had lived for centuries in peace andthink tanks and military and political

destroying their cultures, languages,

constituencies and the other by the

traditions and ways of life; disallowing

dominant actors in the Muslim societies.

post-colonial societies to grow in peace,

Both paint alarmist scenarios, indulge in the

dignity and plenty by fuelling conflicts,
igniting wars, promoting militarism and42

preventing peaceful resolution of numerous

Iraq wars. Again, especially the Muslim

conflicts affecting the Muslims mostsocieties need to be informed about these(Palestinian issue, Kashmir conflict, wars in

anti-war constituencies and their struggle in

Afghanistan and Iraq and military

Europe, North America, Japan, Australiaintervention in Pakistan); exercising totaland New Zealand. Likewise the need iscontrol over the Muslim societies and their

there to enlighten the West about peace

resources; and declaring Muslims as

contents in Islamic principles, values,

terrorists who, in fact, are victims ofteachings and historical narratives.

Western terrorism.

Moreover, the Muslim societies themselves

Both the perspectives

influence hundreds of thousands of people

need to understand that much of politicalin their respective constituencies. Theyand structural violence in their own

divide the world on sharp lines and provide

societies are because of authoritarian

sanctity to savage killing of human beings

governance, inequitable distribution of

in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan in the

resources, militarism and religious bigotry

name of war against terrorism and in theand because of virtual absence of the rule ofname of safeguarding Islam. They militarize

law and powerful and robust civil societies

global and regional strategic environment,in the entire Muslim world. An awarenessscuttle popular, democratic and progressiveof these and other related issues may help

movements for political and social change

the healing of the wounds.

in the Muslim world, severally damage theprospects for global and regional economic,

Potential Role of Museums for Peacepolitical and cultural co-operation among

In this context, the potential role ofthe societies, block peace everywhere andmuseums for peace in Muslim societies

give the impression that the Muslim

becomes very important. These may act associeties can be rendered peaceful either bybridges between and among societies having

bombing them into the stone age or bydifferent cultures, political systems andforcing the fifty seven independent Muslim

ways of life. These may also strengthen the

majority states with over a billion people tomovement for co-existence andaccept the brutal

co-flourishing of civilizations and societies

reign and rule of the

pursuing different paths to peace andTalibans.

belonging to different faiths, regions andNeed for the healing of wounds

traditions. Eventually these museums for

There is doubtless the need for the healing

peace in the Muslim societies may emergeof the wounds of the Muslim societies andas the healers of the wounds of centuries,

for stressing the fact that the majority of thebuilders of bridges of understanding andstates and societies and peoples do notcooperation among different societies andapprove of the atrocities committed by thepromoters of the culture of peace

US and its coalition forces on Afghanistan

everywhere.

and Iraq and millions of the citizens of theWest have demonstrated against Afghan andEqually importantly, the museums for peace43

in Muslim societies may also help promote

global society which is like a rainbow.

the cause of peace and justice in the Muslim
societies themselves and may educate theMuseums for peace in post-conflict Muslim

citizens of these societies regarding the rootsocietiescauses of violence in their own world and in

The post-colonial Muslim societies, like theother worlds and also regarding thenon-Muslim post-colonial societies, havepeacefulness of the Islamic and other faiths

been devastated because of conflicts, wars

and traditions and cultures. In addition,and violence and these will take decades tothese museums may emphatically suggest

develop and transform themselves. However,that justice, equality, truthfulness, peace andit is clear that the times are changing andnonviolence and equal rights are

the power of the coalitions of the powerless

important requirements of a Muslim society

constituencies is gaining strength. These are

and the followers of the faith are required to

now speaking to power and challenging theunderstand the profound meaning of

powerful. The global opposition against

statements like ‘the ink of the scholar is

American military aggression in Vietnam,

holier than the blood of the martyr’ andAfghanistan and Iraq and the inability of the‘ fighting against others with the sword
lesser Jihad

most powerful state of all times to colonizeisthese and many other states clearly indicatesand fighting against one’s

own evil desires is greater Jihad. In addition,that the brute use of force cannot subdue thethese museums for peace may narrate

human spirit forever. The power of thethrough their exhibits the history andpowerless should not be underestimated.

struggle and teachings of the great heroes of

The US therefore is bound to call it a day inIslam who fought nonviolently against the

Iraq and Afghanistan and withdraw itself

oppressive and suppressive rulers and theirfrom there as it had to retreat from Vietnam.

political system and against religious

However, the post-American Iraq andbigotry. These may also project theAfghanistan may be caught into anothercontribution of the great Sufis who sang theround of militarism and jingoism when thesongs of love and humanism and taught

militarist elements would claim credit for

their followers to respect other religions andthe departure of the American forces. Therepeople of other religions and stand up

is a possibility that the withdrawal would beagainst injustice, oppression and repression.

glorified and jingoism would be further

As centres of peace education, thesefuelled in the name of celebrating themuseums for peace may also induce thedeparture of American forces. The war

visitors to realize that they are part andmemorials and monuments which may beparcel of the same world where people ofconstructed after the war in these and other

other faiths and cultures live and thrive andcountries and the narratives of the war

they need to appreciate the urgency andwould keep the wounds fresh and bleeding

importance of drawing out of their world of

all the time and the messages of hatred andexclusion and developing multiple andrevenge would flow from such monuments .

complementary identities and thriving in a

True enough that the American aggression

44and atrocities are highlighted especially by

Peace is a basic human need and a basic

the media in Muslim societies. Likewise,

human right. The masses of the Muslim

the sufferings of the Afghanistan and Iraqi

societies, like the common people incitizens are frequently projected. But this is

non-Muslim Asian, African and Latin

not enough. This is clearly an example ofAmerican Societies, need to be uplifted to

selective presentation. There is a need to

the level of human beings, and given thedraw a larger picture. The media in Muslim

right to peace and human security. As such,societies should, for instance,

it is almost an imperative that peace

inform especially the citizens of the Muslim

museums are established in all the Countries.

countries that almost all the Muslim states

Furthermore, there is a need to establish

have been supporting the American

issue-based museums for peace likeadventure in Afghanistan in one way ormuseum for peace and people’s rights,

the other. Likewise, the think tanks,

museum for peace and ethnic harmony,government officials and civil

museum for peace and human rights,

society of themuseum for peace and women’s rights,

Muslim countries need to

speak the whole truth and admit

museum for peace and human security,that massive demonstrations of themuseum for peace and human dignity andpeople have taken place in manyso on. Such museums are needed in all

non-Muslim states against American war insocieties including the Muslim societies.

Afghanistan.As a matter of fact, such

They are needed in conflict-torn

demonstrations have taken place much more

Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Sudan, andfrequently in Europe and North America

Somalia and also in the vast majority ofthan in the Muslim countries themselves.

Muslim countries where the military,

For such historical narratives, the museums

monarchy and other elite power groups

for peace can be the most suitable places

reign and rule.

and not military museums .The healing of
the wounds would be possible only by

Establishing Museums for Peace in Muslim

telling the whole truth and not by narratingSocieties

the selective parts of history. In order to

The establishment of active museums forachieve sustained peace and development,

peace working for qualitative political andthe post-conflict Muslim societies will besocial change in the Muslim societies isrequired to critically examine the root

dependent on the empowerment of the civil

causes of conflicts and the role of different

societies and consolidation of democraticinternal and external actors andforces and traditions in these countries. This

constituencies and present historicalmay, indeed, take a long time, but thenarratives as objectively and truthfully as

Muslim world seems to be somewhat eager

possible. For this, these societies would

to catch up with the museums for peaceneed museums for peace.

movement. Let it be added here thePossible sites for the museums for peacemuseums for peace have already been
established in two major Muslim countries45

of the world: Pakistan and Iran. These are:

The Thailand-Burma Railway Centre:

The Children’s Museum for Peace andfounded in 2003 in Kanchanaburi

Human Rights in Karachi (2001) and The
Interfaith Peace Museum in Islamabad

The Thailand-Burma Railway Centre(2008), Pakistan; and Tehran Peace(TBRC) is an interactive museum,Museum in Tehran, Iran(2007).

information and research facility dedicated

It is hopedthat in due course of time , the museums forto presenting the history of thepeace will be built in a number of Muslim

Thailand-Burma Railway. This ran 415 km

countries including Egypt, Morocco, Turkey,

from Nong Pladuk in Thailand to

United Arab Emirates and post-conflict

Thanbyuzayat in Burma, and was built by

Afghanistan and Iraq.

the Imperial Japanese Army during thesecond World War using Allied prisoners ofwar (PoWs) and impressed Asian labourers.

Lech Walesa exhibition on the City HallThe Centre is fully air-conditioned andSquare: Norway

offers the visitor an educational and moving

From 20 until 30 Nov, the Polish Club inexperience.

Norway and the European Solidarity Center

This privately owned and operated Centre

show the exhibition "Lech Walesa - The

has been established to interpret - in a fair,man, the history, the symbol" in front of thebalanced and non-partisan way - the story ofNobel Peace Center.

the Thailand-Burma Railway, and to explain

Lech Walesa has, through his work andthe significance of the two militaryactivism from the early 1970s, become an

cemeteries inimportant symbol for Polish andKanchanaburi. Many artefacts and ainternational organisational

growing number of personal items are on

freedom. In 1983 he was awarded the Nobel

display, either recovered from the jungle

Peace Prize for his efforts.

camps or donated by families of PoWs who
returned home.

Rod Beattie, the founderWalesa did not wish to leave Poland at theof the Museum, has been researching andtime, out of fear that he would be denied

exploring the railway for many years andre-entry into Poland. Therefore, his wife

has been able to map the entire length of the

Danuta Walesa, traveled to Oslo to receive

project. Rod has located and identified mostthe Prize on his behalf.

of the numerous Camp sites, original
Cemetery and Burial Ground locations as

In 1990 Lech Walesa was elected President

well as the Railway Stations that were setof Polen, a position he had until 1995.

up for the operation of the railway for more

Walesa will be present at the opening of thethan one and a half years after its

exhibition.

completion and before the end of WWII.
Models of the railway, a typical Prison
Camp and PoW Hospital are displayedin the Museum where the entire history of46

the railway project is well described in both

For those wanting a behind-the-scenes lookThai and English languages throughout theand feel for the railway, the Centre offers

many interesting Galleries spread over two

pilgrimage tours for connected families

levels.

which can take people to the actual campSpecial interest and Student

Groups are offered guided informative

locations that their relative may have'tours' within the Museum by prior

worked in or died at. Such trips up country

arrangement whilst most people will findoffer a close up look at embankment

the information so well laid out that viewing

constructions, some of the 688 bridge sites

and progressing through the Museumof the railway and the many cuttings

is easily done privately and at one's own

through mountains that were largely done

pace. Depending on the interest level of theby hand using "hammer and tap" gangs ofvisitor, the time needed through theprisoners, driven by Japanese and Korean

Museum will range from one hour to several

guards.

hours and many relatives of the men who

Centre aims to provide a world standard

worked or died on the railway project

facility for family researchers as well as theduring the War find a need to return again,

many tourists to Kanchanaburi, designed

some of them several times.

Extensiveand maintained to the highest international

Research work is still continuing as thestandards, and to ensure that the memory ofCentre works towards compiling the mostthis event and all who suffered during andcomprehensive records of all who worked

after its construction are preservedon this amazing piece of history and not just

indefinitely.

those who unfortunately lost their lives(This is from the website.)building it. Descendent families of theThailand-Burma Railway Centre (T.B.R.C.

forced labourers who contributed towards

Co., Ltd): 73 Jaokannun Road, BanNua,

the completion of the 415 klms of railway inAmphoe Muang, Kanchanaburi 71000

just 15 months are largely unaware of theThailand.

facts surrounding the project and many

Managing Director: Rod Beattie

questions remain.

General Manager. Terry Manttan

The Thailand-Burma

The Thailand-Burma Railway

Railway Centre is the one place in the world

Tel: +66 34 512721

that people can come to with a guarantee of

Fax: +66 34 510067

learning more than is possible to obtain

web site: http://www.tbrconline.com

elsewhere and the strongest chance ofemail: admin@tbrconline.com

finding details of the personal details of
their PoW relative.

The Research Centre

within the complex is available to the public

The Chinese “Comfort Women” Research

by appointment and it contains a huge andCenterThe “Comfort Women” system set up

fascinating collection of war time
documents, records, personal accounts andby the Japanese Military is institutionalized

books.

criminal acts which are violations ofhumanity, violations of sexual ethics and47

war convention. This collective enslavement

confirmed by the center and are willing toof women by fascism is unparalleled in themake themselves public are still alive andhistory of human civilization overlive in Chinese mainland. Most of them live

thousands of years, it epitomizes barbarism,in poverty and illness. But the conditions offerocity and violence of Japanese militarism,

being discriminated by outside and get shortalso reminded us the extreme damage that ashrift are transforming continuously. Let us

war could bring to any human beings.

wish together that these old ladies can live

2007，as the 70thanniversary of thehappily during old age after going throughSino-Japanese War, The Chinese “Comfort

sufferings, and more expect to see that

Women”

Japanese government can deeply plead

ResearchCenter

set

up

an

exhibition with data and material objects

guilty and make compensation to victims ofwhich were obtained from investigation andJapanese Military “Comfort Women”

research in the last decade. Past experience,system throughout the world as soon as

if not forgotten, is a guide for the future.

possible.

The Chinese “Comfort Women”

Chinese “Comfort Women” Archives

Research Center at Shanghai Normal

Exhibition Place: Exhibition Hall (B1),

University was officially established in

Wenyuan

1999, and it is the first academic institution

Shanghai Normal University, 100 Guilin

for study on “Comfort Women” issue inRoad, Shanghai

Chinese mainland. The research center has

Open Time: Every Tuesday, Thursday andcollected oral accounts, photos, material

Saturday 9:00AM - 4:00PM

evidences; published books such articles as(except general holidays)“Comfort Women Study”, “Criticism

During closing time, if need group visitation,

against Japanese Military Comfort Women

please make an appointment in advance

System”; presided over many International

yaofei813@citiz.net

symposiums on Chinese “Comfort Women”(With thanks to Ms. Eriko Ikeda)

Building,

East

Campusofwjjinxinlin@163.com

issue since it was founded 9 years ago.
Under the promotion of the center andmedia assistance, various types of groups

In-Security: The Nuclear Dilemma’both home and abroad, and individualsThis exhibition was held at GERNIKA

actively contributed to “Comfort Women”

PEACE

survivors since 2000. At the same time, theSeptember 2008 to 25 January 2009.

research center provided living assistance“A unique visual-communication projectwith 100 RMB a month to these verified

about the history of nuclear technology;“Comfort Women” survivors who live inproviding valuable tools for people to form

Chinese mainland, the monthly assistanceclear perspectives on its past and present

had been added to 200 RMB a month sinceuses and enabling dialogue and research for2006.

a safer future.“

At present, 45 former “Comfort

MUSEUM,

SPAIN

from

19

www.nucleardilemma.org

Women” survivors who have been

Contact:

48

AshleyWoods-

ashley@realexpo.org
Produced

by

REAL

Exhibition

The Praise of Folly

Development and the International Red

The exhibition marks the five hundredth

Cross and Red Crescent Museum, Geneva

anniversary of The Praise of Folly. Erasmus
wrote the book in 1509 to mock every
conceivable kind of human folly, and it has

Exhibition on Erasmus: the Netherlands

remained a bestseller throughout theImages of Erasmus

centuries. The work had an immense

8 November 2008 – 8 February 2009

influence, particularly on artists who beganMuseum Boijmans Van Beuningen

to explore new subjects: misers, swindlers

Museumpark 18-20

and fools in all sorts of guises. This

NL-3015 CX Rotterdam, The Netherlands

groundbreaking genre is extensively(From the museum website)

represented in the exhibition; works include

Five hundred years after Erasmus wrote The

Quinten Massys’s painting The

Praise of Folly — one of the most

Moneychanger and his Wife, which is being

influential books of all time — the Museum

shown in the Netherlands for the first time.

Boijmans Van Beuningen presents a major
Erasmus exhibition. The Louvre has agreed,

Peace

exceptionally, to loan the superb portrait by

Erasmus lived in a turbulent age marked byHans Holbein the Younger. Works of art

uprisings and wars. He spoke out frankly on

never seen before in the Netherlands aresocial ills and corresponded with rulers all

coming from around the world, from cities

over Europe. As his counsellor, Erasmus

like New York, London and Madrid. The

had close ties with Charles V, who ispaintings, drawings, prints and objects

portrayed in a strikingly restrained

throw light on Erasmus’s ideas andmanifestation in a painting by Lucas

illustrate his influence on the arts and on

Cranach the Elder. Erasmus deplored thesociety.

prevailing warmongering and constantly
called for peace, although his pacifism

Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus

applied first and foremost to Christians(1466-1536) was a celebrity throughout

fighting among themselves—he believed

Europe in his lifetime. This exhibition

that Europe should defend itself staunchly

brings together portraits of Erasmus by theagainst the advancing Islamic Ottoman

greatest artists of his day: Quinten Massys,

Empire.

Hans Holbein the Younger and Albrecht
Dürer. Letters and writings reveal that

Education

Erasmus kept very strict control of the way

Erasmus was a balanced and thoughtful

he was portrayed. The exhibition also

critic of the Catholic Church, who fought

focuses on subjects that were close to his

against decadence, superstition andheart: scholarship and education, war andostentation. He felt, for instance, that artists

peace, church and art.

should portray the Virgin soberly and not as49

an erotic classical goddess like Jan

Museum’s vast collection of anti-war

Gossaert’s Madonna and Child, therecordings and a selection of documents,

showpiece of the Prado. Erasmus paved thethis book will tell the story of those who

way for the Reformation, but theparticipated in protest from the First World

iconoclasm of the sixteenth century went

War to the present day. It is a compelling,much too far for him. As a humanist heemotional and very moving human story,

believed in education and he wrote on aessential for understanding war in its

wide range of subjects, from table manners

entirety. Although there is increasing

to the upbringing of children. Jan vaninterest in the subject, the story has yet to

Scorel drew his inspiration for his famous

be published.

Portrait of a Young Scholar from Erasmus
and even adorned the panel with a motto

The narrative starts with the emergence offrom one of his books.

the movement during the First World War
when, in January 1916, national

Erasmus today

conscription was introduced for the first

Erasmus is one of the pioneers of modern

time in British history, and a new group,

thinking. In the exhibition a multimedia tour

conscientious objectors, the ‘conchies’applies his views and ideas to topical social(COs), came into being. In all 16,000 COs

and cultural issues. A comprehensive,

faced tribunals to test their sincerity. They

lavishly-illustrated catalogue accompanies

were branded as cowards, reviled andthe exhibition.

persecuted. Yet, by 1919 it was accepted(With thanks to Mr. Gerard Lössbroek andthat a man had a right to follow his

Dr. Peter van den Dungen)conscience in time of war and thefoundations had been laid for all later war
protest until the present day. The story

VOICES AGAINST WAR (provisional

continues through the interwar period

title)

covering the expansion of the movement,

By Lyn Smith: Englandand into the Second World War when

On 15 February 2003, an estimated two

62,000 COs were registered. Testimonies

million Britons took to the streets offrom this war reveal important changes in

London to protest against the build-up totreatment: there was a concern to fit

war against Iraq. Since the outbreak of that

objectors into work which they could

war, the anti-war movement has broadened

conscientiously perform and, generally, theyand now has a global reach. Not all

had an easier time, although cases ofprotesters would consider themselves

brutality and abuse did occur.

pacifists (against all wars and violence), butwhatever the basis of objection, their protest

The development and use of nuclear

is part of one of the most enduring

weapons towards the end of the Second

movements in history. Based on 200

World War gave rise to a dramatic change

testimonies from the Imperial War

in the nature of anti-war protest, related to50

the moral issue of the survival of mankind

military accounts illustrating the complexity

and civilisation. Testimonies from the 1950sof war history. In the present climate, it

reveal the formation and development of ashould be very timely.

variety of anti-nuclear groups – theCampaign for Nuclear Disarmament being

Lyn Smith, publication date, September

the most well known – as well as schisms

2009

and splits in the movement. Those involvedin post-Cold War conflicts demonstrate
further changes in the movement, not least
the novel feature of non-conscripted

Obituary

conscientious objectors to particular wars

Mr. Shuichi Kato, First Director of Kyoto

such as those in the Falkland Islands,

Museum for World Peace, Passed Away

1980/81, the first Gulf War, 1990/91, andIkuro Anzai

the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and

Mr. Shuichi Kato, former Director of Kyoto

Afghanistan.

Museum for World Peace, Ritsumeikan
University, passed away on 5th December

The aim is to let the voices speak for2008. He served as the first director of thethemselves within a basic chronological

Kyoto Museum for World Peace,structure, many of the voices continuing

Ritsumeikan University, from May 1992 tothrough several sections of the story

March 1995. He was a visiting professor ofillustrating the change and continuity

the College of International Relations ofoccurring. In order to reflect the changing

Ritsumeikan University for 12 years.

attitudes of service personnel and the public

Professor Kato was an outstanding critic

to war resisters, voices from those fromwidely known in Japan and abroad,outside the movement will be included.

sometimes called “The Giant of Intellect.”

Voices from Japan, the United States and

He graduated from Faculty of Medicine ofother countries will be included, in this way

University of Tokyo in 1943, but he showed

the increasingly internationalised nature of

genius in the field of literary criticism being

the issue will be shown. It is hoped toawarded the Osaragi Jiro Prize by his

illustrate pacifism in all its shades, from thelaborious work entitled “Introductory‘absolutists’ to the ‘pragmatic pacifists’ ofHistory of Japanese Literatures.” He was an

the nuclear age. For many, pacifism isextremely erudite person, capable of giving

identified with weakness and lack of moral

university lectures at least in 5 different

fibre, but their experiences through the ages,

languages, i.e. Japanese, English, French,should provide a very different perspective.

Germany and Italian. He wrote hundreds of

It is a story of human endurance, sacrificehighly intellectual books on varieties ofand bravery – qualities usually associatedtopics such as literature, art, music, religion,

with the fighting forces. Their testimonies

science, sociology, economics, politics, etc.

provide a valuable counterbalance andHe was awarded L'ordre national de lacomplement to the vast range of published51

légion d'honneur from French government

great success. Messages of condolence werein 2000. Together with Mr. Kenzaburo Oe,

sent to Peace Osaka from many peace

Nobel Literature Prize Laureate, he was one

museum workers in the world including Mr.

of the original promoters of Nationwide

Peter van den Dungen (General Coordinator

Article 9 Association in Japan, which boreof the International Network of Museums

fruit as successive formation offor Peace), Mr. Anatoly Ionesov (Director,

approximately 7,000 Regional Article 9

International Museumf for Peace andAssociations throughout Japan. When

Sokidarity, Samarkand), Mr. Sultan Somjee

Kyoto Museum for World Peace organized(Ethnographer and Founder, Community

a lecture meeting in 1993, 50 years since

Peace Museums of Kenya), Mr. Shahriar

university students were sent to war in 1943,

Kharteri (Public and International Relations,

he stressed the importance of “Seeing the

Tehran Peace Museum Project), Ms. Joyce

present in the past, and seeing the past in

Apsel (New York University), Mr. Clivethe present.” On the report of Mr. Kato’s

Barret (Vice Chairperson, The Peacepassing, Mr. Tomohiko Takasugi, Director,

Museum, Bradford), Mr. Syed Sikander

and Mr. Ikuro Anzai, Honorary Director, of

Mehdi (Former Professor of University of

Kyoto Museum for World Peace published a

Karachi, Pakistan), Mr. Steve Fryburg

statement for condolence, and expressed(Director, Dayton International Peacetheir resolution to further develop activities

Museum), Mr. Ikuro Anzai (Honorary

for peace.

Director, Kyoto Museum for World Peace)and Ms. Kazuyo Yamane (International
Exchange Section, Peace Museum Grass
Roots House).

Mr. Tomoaki Okamoto, Director of
Osaka International Peace Center, Japan,
Passed Away
Ikuro Anzai

Letter of Condolence from Peter van

Mr. Okamoto, Director of Osaka

den Dungen, General Coordinator ofInternational Peace Center since its

INMPestablishment in 1989, passed away on 25th

26th November 2008

November 2008. The Peace Center opened a

Peace Osaka Office, Osaka, Japan

peace museum named Peace Osaka in 1991,

I was sad to learn of the passing away, very

and co-organized the Third International

recently, of Mr. Tomoaki Okamoto andConference of Peace Museums together

would like to convey my sincere

with Kyoto Museum for World Peace,

condolences to his family, and also to the

Ritsumeikan University in 1998. Mr.

staff of Peace Osaka for the great loss theyOkamoto deeply understood the importancehave suffered. From its establishment inof promoting the network among the1991, Peace Osaka gained a worldwide

peace-related museums throughout the

reputation for its innovative and courageous

world, and actively supported the Third

exhibitions and for its educational programs

International Conference which resulted in a52

providing peace education, especially forthe students of Kochi Univ. andthe younger generation.

Ritsumeikan Univ. on his idea to build

In 1994 I had the good fortune to visit Peace

peace museums on India-Pakistan border.

Osaka, and was highly impressed.

He is also planning to establish a women’s

Four years later, in 1998, the Third Inter-

human rights museum in Pakistan in thenational Conference of Peace Museums held

nearest possible future in cooperation with

its inaugural meetings in Osaka and wasJapanese peace museum workers based on ahosted by Peace Osaka. This was asad story of a raped woman who has amemorable gathering and I will always bestrong will to confess her intolerable

deeply grateful for Mr.Okamoto for his

experience.

wholehearted support.

He co-worked with the staff of Kyoto

I am sure that the staff of Peace Osaka will

Museum for World Peace for the successwish to honour Mr. Okamoto's memory by

the 6th International Conference ofcontinuing the important work in which heMuseums for Peace, and co-edited a bookwas so closely involved, and which was soentitled “Museums for Peace: Past, Present

dear to him.

and Future” with Dr. Joyce Apsel of New

With my deep appreciation for the vital

York University and me, which waswork that Peace Osaka has been engaged inpublished by the Organizing Committee andsince its foundation, and with my best

distributed among the participants of thewishes for its consolidation and further

conference. He made 2 reports in thedevelopment.

conference, one on the human rights issues
of women in Pakistan and the other on theYours faithfully,
Dr. Peter van den Dungenidea of establishing a peace museum on

General Coordinator, International Network

India-Pakistan border. At the Generalof Museums for Peace

Meeting of the International Network ofMuseums for Peace

held during the 6thInternational Conference, he was elected
one of the members of the Advisory Board

About Mr. Syed Sikander Mehdi

of the Network.

Ikuro Anzai
Former professor of Karachi University,

He has a couple of ideas to publish books

Pakistan, Mr. Syed Sikander Mehdi came toon the themes such as Asian peace makers,

Japan in March 2008 as a Japan Foundation

anti-nuclear peace movement, etc., and isFellow, and stayed for 10 months at Kyoto

proposing a project to invite JapaneseMuseum for World Peace, Ritsumeikan

A-bomb survivors to Pakistan in 2009.

University. He has been deeply interested in

During his stay in Japan, he collected apeace museums, and very eager to collect

number of books, CDs, videos and DVDs on

information about peace-related museums inpeace and nuclear disarmament. As research

Japan. He visited more than 10 peace

adviser to him, I thank all peace museum

museums during his stay. In addition, he

workers in Japan who took good care of Mr.

enjoyed opportunities to make lectures for

Syed Sikander Mehdi for promoting his

53understanding of Japan and Japanese peaceInternational Journal of the Inclusive

museum movements, and hope that there

Museum. If you are unable to attend thewill be continuous development in mutual

Conference in person, virtual registrations

encouragement and support between

are also available which allow you toJapanese and Pakistani peace movements.

submit a paper for refereeing and possible
publication in this fully refereed academic
Journal, as well as access to the electronic
version of the Conference proceedings.

Conference
The deadline for the next round in the call
The 2nd International Conference on thefor papers (a title and short abstract) is 14

Inclusive Museum

November 2008. Future deadlines will be

University of Queensland, Brisbane,

announced on the Conference website after

Australia

this date. Proposals are reviewed within

8-11 July 2009

two weeks of submission. Full details of the

http://www.Museum-Conference.com

Conference, including an online proposal
submission form, are to be found at theAt this time of fundamental social change,

Conference website

what is the role of the museum, both as a

- http://www.Museum-Conference.com/.

creature of that change, and perhaps also as
an agent of change? The International

We look forward to receiving your proposal

Conference on the Inclusive Museum is aand hope you will be able to join us inplace where museum practioners,

Brisbane in July 2009.

researchers, thinkers and teachers canYours Sincerely,

engage in discussion on the historiccharacter and future shape of the museum.
The key question of the Conference is 'How

Amareswar Galla, PhD

can the institution of the museum become

Professor of Museum Studies

more inclusive?'

School of English, Media Studies and Art
History, University of Queensland Brisbane,

As well as impressive line-up ofAustralia

international main speakers, the Conference

For the Advisory Board, International

will also include numerous paper, workshop

Conference on the Inclusive Museum andand colloquium presentations by

the International Journal of the Inclusive

practitioners, teachers and researchers. We

Museumwould particularly like to invite you to
respond to the Conference Call-for-Papers.
Presenters may choose to submit written
papers for publication in the fully refereed54community’s progress towards a culture of

Publications

peace, i.e. a society of institutions andGlobal Peace: An International Journal ofnorms based on nonviolence, ecological

Philosophy, Peace, Education, Culture andsustainability, social justice,

Civilization edited by Dr. Ravindra Kumar

intergenerational equity and participatory
decision-making. It provides you with

Sanae Kimura: Voiceless Atomic Bombedresources that highlight the relationship

Trees (Hiroshimano Koenaki Kataribetachi)

between social and ecological peace – an

by Bungeisha

understanding of which is essential toeffectively responding to social

Iri and Toshi Maruki and the 20 Century

peacelessness and ecological degradation.

No.1. 1901－1950 edited by Yukinori

You are invited to join the global networkth

Okamura. Published by Maruki Art

of educators working to bring about thisGallery. 2008 (in Japanese)transition.
www.globalepe.org

Toshi Maruki’s Paintings by Yukinori
Okamura. Maruki Art Gallery 2007. (inCONTENTS: Food Crisis in the global

Japanese)

North and South, Education forsustainability in Nova Scotia, Resources for
integrative value-based learning, NewsWar, Peace and Beauty- Iri & Toshi
Maruki’s

Art

by

John

W.

about educational civil society

Dower.

Translated into Japanese by Rinjiro Sodei.

organizations, A plea and a challenge, andPublished by Mariki Art Gallery. 2007.

Contact information

War, Peace and Beauty: The Art of Iri and
Toshi Maruki by John W Dower,
published by Maruki Gallery for the

NoticeHiroshima Panels in 2007, 600yen

The unsigned articles were written up on theeditor's responsibility, but the signed ones
do notnecessarily express the same opinions

Lyn Smith: Young Voices: British Children
Warembraced by the head office of the Japanesepublished by Penguin Books.2007. This

Network of Museums for Peace or the editor

book tells how British children across theof this newsletter.

RemembertheSecondWorld

globe lived in the days before and during
the fighting.
Transitions, the e-educational resource ofEarth and Peace Education Associates
International (EPE) focuses on our global

55

Translators for Peace without Borders
Japanese NGOs including Japanese Citizens’
Network of Museums for Peace are usually
faced with difficulty to quickly translate
their newsletter into other languages.
General Meeting of INMP discussed about
the possibility to organize “Translators for
Peace without Borders” in the future.
“Muse” in Japanese version has beentranslated into English mainly by Dr.
Kazuyo Yamane, but recently Ms. Yoshiko
Tanigawa, Ms. Nicole Kato and Ms. Junko
Morioka have been playing an important rolefor editing an English version. They aresubstantially members of “Translators for
Peace without Borders.” We know that there
are so many excellent materials for peaceeducation in many countries, and fervently
hope that it will become easier for us toaccess to the peace-related materials ofdifferent countries.

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