Muse No. 38
Japanese Citizens Network of Museums for Peace
Newsletter: December 2018
The Editorial Office: Daisuke Miyahara at Peace Aichi
2-820 Yomogidai, Meitoku, Nagoya City, Aichi 465-0091
Tel/Fax: 052-602-4222

http://www.peace-aichi.com/

Editor: Kazuyo Yamane & Ikuro Anzai
Translator: Emi Karimata, Hisayo Kita & Kazuyo Yamane
Illstrator: Erico Tosaki & Pegge Patten

Report of the 17th Conference ofJapanese Citizens Network of Museums for Peace
Secretariat: Daisuke Miyahara
On September 8th and 9th, 2018, “17thpresident of a residents’ association, Mr.

Conference of the Japanese Citizens Network of

Masaharu Kinjyo.

Museums for Peace” was held at the Himeyuri
Peace Museum. (Held at Himeyuri Peace Hallon the first day) 54 people participated and 12
people were from Himeyuri Peace Memorial
Museum. There were 11 reports from eachmuseum, and question and answer sessions were
held. In addition to the reporters from eachmuseum, a speech was given by Okinawa
Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum Director
Ms. Naomi Harada, previous director of theerico

Himeyuri Peace Museum Director Ms. Yoshiko

The contents of the lecture of the Himeyuri

Shimabukuro, and Mr. Sakai Yoshiki from

Peace Museum, "Inheritance of War Memory to

Aichi Prefecture as "Churazima (beautiful)

the Next Generation by a Peace Lecture As a

Okinawa Ambassador" from Nagoya City

Clue", exchange of opinions and warfare field

University Graduate School of Human Culture.

work were very fruitful. In many museums, it is

In addition, there were four participants fromnow becoming a challenging issue to inherit the

Okinawa Airakuen including curators andexperience of war. This conference made it1possible for the museums to share the important

decided: October 26-27, 2019. As a venue, theconcept.

National Women's Education Center (Ranzan

At the social gathering, the mood of the venue

Town, Saitama Prefecture, 12 min walk from

amped up when director of Futenma and others

Tobu Tojo Line Musashi-Ranzan station) is

started dancing the Okinawan celebratory dancescheduled. As a field work, the tour is planed tocalled "Kagiyadehuh ".

go to Maruki Gallery For The Hiroshima Panels
and the Chukiren Peace Memorial Museum, but
the transportation system is still to be examined.
Regarding the ongoing discussions in steeringcommittee on operation of the mailing list andpublication of Muse newsletter on the website,
Secretary General Mr. Miyahara requested asummary of the conclusion between the debating

Himeyuri Peace Memorial Museum

parties on this issue, and if not, the secretariat
At the beginning of the conference, Mr. Ikuro
Anzai,

New

GeneralCoordinatorwould take other methods to conclude this issue.

ofFrom next year, it is decided to revise the"International Network of Museums for Peace"

conference participation fee from the current(INMP) gave a report of actual condition of

500 yen to 1,000 yen, and a part of the collected

INMP and invitation to join it.

fee would be spent as the payment for theThis conference had incurred Himeyuri Peacetranslators for the website of Muse, which was

Museum a tremendous burden, from therequested from Ms. Kazuyo Yamane, Muse

fieldwork bus chartering to other expenses, andeditorial committee member.

was successfully held by the Himeyuri Peace

Mr. Miyahara, who has been in charge of theMuseum staffs’ preparation and cooperation.

secretariat for many years, requested theAt the steering committee held just before thereplacement of the secretariat again since heconference, management of the conference andbecame the director of Peace Aichi in May thisthe division of the moderator has been decided.

year.

Mr. Hidefumi Terasawa, Director of the Peace

reported.

Memorial Museum of Cultivating Manmou● Accounting report(Manchuria and Mongolia), and Mr.Takao● Membership as of September 7, 2018: 83

Serizawa, the secretary general of NPO

people.

Chukiren Peace Memorial Museum joined as a

The following is the basic information

No enrollment / No withdrawal during thechairperson. Next, hosting conference in 2019year

was discussed. NPO Chukiren Peace Memorial● Publication of Muse newsletter

Museum took the role of holding the conference,Muse No. 38, December 2017 (Japanese)and proposal was planned. The dates wereMuse No. 39, July 2018 (Japanese)2

OR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyzZZuSj
MxMMuse No. 36, January 2018 (English)
Muse No.37, August 2018 (English)(Translated by Hisayo Kita)

Holding the 16th National Conference at the
Kyoto Museum for World Peace at Ritsumeikan
University(Kyoto):39

participants(onReport on the 17th Conference of JapaneseDecember 9 and 10, 2017)

Citizens’ Network of Museums for Peace● Members of the organization: (10 people)
Asakawa, Ikeda, Ishibashi, Kaji, Fukushima,

Katsumi Maedomari Curator at Himeyuri

Miyahara,Yamabe, Watanabe, Serizawa, andPeace Museum

Terasawa.
Last September 8-9, Himeyuri Peace Museum

The Editorial Office: Daisuke Miyahara（Peace
Aichi ）in Okinawa hosted the 17th Conference ofEditorial committee: Ikuro Anzai,

Kazuyo Yamane, Masahiko Yamabe

Japanese Citizens’ Network of Museums for● Business plan

Peace. Due to a typhoon, Kazuyo Yamane wasNews editing issued: Muse 2 times (Japanese),

not able to attend. Despite the sad news, theMuse 2 times (English)

conference was filled with good programs in

Holding the 18th National Association in 2019

which 54 people attended, including the staff(Saitama prefecture, NPO Chukiren Peacefrom Himeyuri Peace Museum, and during

Memorial Museum)

which 11 reports and 2 days of fieldwork weresuccessfully completed.
It was the first time to hold the conference in
Okinawa, and although the host was a little bit
nervous, all the programs were accomplishedbecause of the participants’ support, which themuseum sincerely appreciates.
1.Reports and Discussion
On the first day, there were 8 reports, one fromThe network exchange meeting was featured

each of the following attendees: Prof. Ikuro

by Okinawa Times, Ryukyu Shimpo, RBC

Anzai from INMP, Eriko Ikeda from WAM,

(Ryukyusu Broadcasting Corporation). See the

Kazuhisa Itou from the NPO No More

RBC from the following URL.

Hibakusha Ceter, Takuo Namisashi fromhttps://www.rbc.co.jp/news_rbc/%e3%81%b2%e3%82%81%e3%82%86%e3%82%8a%e5%b9%b3%e5%92

Itabashi Peace Museum, Norio Serizawa from

%8c%e7%a5%88%e5%bf%b5%e8%b3%87%e6%96%

Chukiren Peace Memorial, Yusuke Hasunuma

99%e9%a4%a8%e3%80%80%e5%85%a8%e5%

and Kazuya Yasuda from Daigo Fukuryu Maru

9b%bd%e3%81%a8%e4%ba%a4%e6%b5%81/

Exhibition Hall, Eiko Sakai and Yukari Akazawa
3

from Peace Aichi, and Chokei Futenma from
Himeyuri Peace Museum. On the second day,
Yukinori Okamura from Maruki Museum,Tamotsu Asagawa from Yamanashi Peace
Museum, and Hidefumi Terasawa and Takiko
Kimura from Manmo Kaitaku Peace Museum
also contributed reports.
The participants listened to the lecture as if they
had become high school students again. This
peace lecture program by the Himeyuri museum
staff has continued every year since 2015 as asequel of the lecture by the former Himeyuri
Student Corps. This is one part of Himeyuri
Peace Museum’s next generation project. The
museum offered the lecture at the conference
Ms. Nakada guiding in Sakae-machi market
Photo by Yutaka Maruyama

In

the

conference,the

expecting to receive some good advice from theparticipants.

participants

After the lecture, the participants were able todiscussed several topics such as the importanceexchange their impressions and ask questionsof keeping international networks, developing

such as if there were other versions of the lecture

digital archives, fostering future generations,for different audiences, how the contents were

solving problems between victims and offenders,

decided, if there was a manual, if there was afinding new appeals of peace museums, andseminar to foster next generations, and so on.

involving local people to the activities. It seemed

Some mentioned that the lecture was well-to help all participants understand how

constructed and that the Himeyuri survivor’s

important it is to share information, including

testimonial video was very touching. One

their own thoughts.

participant stated that he had almost cried andfelt that the lecture had given her insight on how

2.First day’s conference at Himeyuri Peacethe war changed the place where the people had

Hall

lived

into

a

battlefield.

Moreover,one

After the reports of the second day, Hiromi

participant stated that sometimes students who

Onabe, an educator at Himeyuri Peace Museum,

have a right-leaning view change their minds

gave a lecture about Himeyuri, which is usually

after watching the survivors’ testimonial videos.”offered to Japanese students.

This comment reminded us of how powerfulsurvivors’ testimonies were.
4Questions from the participants were very

Peace Museum. Through it rained heavily in thehelpful for Himeyuri Peace Museum, and at themorning, fortunately, the sun came out in thesame time, the conference helped us recognize

afternoon, so the participants were able to visit

that other museums and organizations for peace

the Ihara Third Surgical Cave which is locatedalso face the same problems, struggles, andunder the Himeyuri monument, the Yamashiro

agendas for the future.

Headquarters Cave, and Arasaki Coast. Afterthey had returned to the museum, the raining

3.Mini Tour and Fieldwork

started again.

① Mini Tour around Himeyuri Peace Hall

Although it is impossible to follow theOn the first day, the participants gathered at the

track the Himeyuri Student Corps took in such a

Himeyuri Peace Hall, which is a renovated old

short time, this fieldwork helped participants

Himeyuri Alumnae building in Naha. The area isimagine how painful and what hardships

called Sakae-machi market now, and the two

Himeyuri students experienced at these places.

Himeyuri schools, the Okinawa Female Normal
School and the Okinawa First Girls’ HighSchool were located there until the battle of
Okinawa. Great care has been taken of thebuilding by the alumnae since the end of the war.
A 30 minutes break was taken after the first
day’s session, after which a mini tour was heldin the Sakae-machi market area. Due to the war,
the history of these schools was ended, and now
At Arasaki Coast, the last place for the Himeyuri
students arrived

this building stands as the only place remainingof the schools and students’ memories. It is also
the place where the former Himeyuri students

4.A Comment from Himeyuri Peace Museum

gathered and planned the establishment of the

The staff at Himeyuri Peace Museum

museum. In addition, there are monuments

sincerely appreciate having been given thewhich represent the history of the Himeyuri

opportunity to have a productive conversation

schools on the ground of an elementary schoolwith staff from other museums throughout Japan.

in the area.

After

the

conference,

many

participants,

thankfully, gave recommendations and advice to② Fieldwork –Tracking the Path Himeyuri

the museum. Without all members’ support, theStudents Took

conference could not have succeeded.

In the afternoon of the second day, a fieldwork

The first day’s dinner party started with

exercise, “Tracking the Path Himeyuri Students

Okinawan traditional dancing “Kagiyade-hu”

Took” was held by the staff from Himeyuri

performed by Futenma and Isa from Himeyuri
5Peace Museum. Mr. Futenma even prepared a

Auschwitz Peace Museum：Fukushima

costume for the performance. Not only Mr.
Futenma, but also all staff from Himeyuri Peace

Director Mari OshiquiMuseum were looking forward to welcoming the

The national longitudinal concert of mixed
choral suite "Satan's Satiation" began atparticipants. At the end of the party, we all
danced “Kachashi” which is also a traditional

Saitama Performance in 1995 and became thedance in Okinawa usually danced and usually

28th event in Toyama Performance in 2018. The

performed at the end of a celebration.

19th concert in Fukushima Performance washeld in Shirakawa, and overseas performanceswere held eight times including China, Korea,
Poland, Czech Republic, Russia etc.

Okinawa Times 2018.9.11
Provided by Yutaka Maruyama

In 2018 250 people from all over Japan
participated in the concert in Baltic States such

The fieldwork was held threading in spite ofas Estonia's Tallinn and Lithuania's Vilnius.

the rainy weather. The Himeyuri survivors used

Clapping hands and standing ovation continued

to say that “our friends’ souls always protect us

after we finished singing.

when we need their help.” As they had said, I felt

From the 18th century, the Baltic States werethat their friends also helped with the fieldwork

dominated by the Russian Empire for 200 years,

in some way. By the way, Yoshiko Shimabukuro,

andthe former director and one of the Himeyuri

in

1919

they became

independent.

However, the Soviet Union invaded them andsurvivors, participated in the conference on thethen they were occupied by the Nazis during thefirst day to cheer us up and give a warm

Second World War.

welcome to the participants.

Over 600 kilometers connecting the three

Himeyuri Peace Museum will never forget thecountries in 1989, 2 million people joined thesurvivors’ feelings for their friends and thechain of human beings transcending national

chagrin of female students who perished during

borders and ethnic groups and fulfilled

the war. The museum will keep the survivors’

independence as "singing revolution".

philosophies for the future.
(Translated by Emi Karimata)6

However, in Japan where the government’s
measures for the relief of the victims were toolate, # MeToo movement also hardly becomes
active. I think that the attitude of the Japanese
government that has long denied the "comfort
women" problem has influenced it. The
government has given the pressure in various
I visited the Sugihara House in Kaunas incountries in search of removal of the "girlLithuania. The building of the Japanesemonument of peace" as "comfort women"

Consulate in Kaunas at that time is used as asymbol so that it would not spread in the world.

memorial hall. In the exhibition room divided

The government is desperate to deter the

into five, there are visa issuing related materials

registration of the "voices of the comfort

and explanation panels. You can watch thewomen" forced to work as sex slaves by

Jewish testimonies saved by Sugihara’s visas. In

Japanese army to the UNESCO World Memory

addition, the room where Sugihara worked was

Heritage that had been jointly applied by eight

reproduced. It seems there are 4000 visitors a

Asian countries including Japan.

year.

Under such circumstances we invited three(Translated by Kazuyo Yamane)

women who accused the military regime of thenational crime in Argentina and held the

Women’s Active Museum in Tokyo

symposium of “Fighting for Justice and its

Eriko Ikeda (Honorary Director)

Recording” with three institutions of Sophia
University in October 2018. Nora Cortinas, who

In 2018 the activities of women fighting

was robbed of her son by forced disappearance,

sexual violence became the spotlight. # MeToo

has created "Mothers of May Plaza" andcampaign spread to the world, and the Nobel

continues to protest against the military regime.

Peace Prize was awarded to Dr. Denis Mukwege

Ms. Graclela Garcia Romero, who had beenin the Democratic Republic of Congo who hasmade to become a sex slave at a secret detention

been responsible for treatment and support offacility, began public testimony and became avictims of sexual violence, and Nadia Murad

plaintiff of the trial. Veronica Torras is devoted

who has been accusing sexual violence by IS into the work of Citizens’ Archives to preserve

Iraq. When Dr. Mucwege came to Japan in 2016,

records and memories of human rights violations.

he saw the videos and exhibits of the Women's

Argentina is a country that judges sexual

International War Crimes Tribunal on Japan's

violence by public power 40 years ago as a crime

Military Sexual Slavery in the WAM and talked

against humanity. The record of their fight was

about the importance of the victim's testimony

registered in the UNESCO World Memoryof "comfort women" and questioning Japan’s

Heritage. We thought about learning a lot from

responsibility for inflicting damage on women.
7son at Sophia University / October 13, 2018
[Photo] by wam

Argentina's experiences and made such a plan
this time. As we expected, three women talked(Translated by Kazuyo Yamane)

about moving experiences. Not only that, during
their short stay, they actively participated in the

Memorial of Voices of Wadatsumi

rally to protest against discriminating Korean
schools in front of the Ministry of Education,

Masahiko Yamabe.

Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, theThe Memorial of Voices of Wadatsumi held arally of anti-US military bases in Okinawa and"War Dead Students and Literature" exhibition

Wednesday Action to support former “comfort

from November 5 to December 8, 2018. From

women” held once a month in Shinjuku, Tokyo

the manuscripts of killed students gathered byand they gave passionate speeches.

the memorial hall, they selected and displayed

We also held an academic conference inviting

literary works such as Waka (31-syllable

experts from around the world on November 10

Japanese poems), poetry, drama and sketches. I

toward the registration to the UNESCO World

hope that you will memorialize their short youth

Heritage Memory. Here too we learned several

that showed the joy, mourning, anger, andtips and information.

sadness of the young people from the remaining

When speaking of "comfort women" issues inwords. Writings left by 20 deceased students

Japan, it tends to be "past issues by the

including Jun Inoue, Hiroshi Hachiya, Tsutomu

government and the media that follows it. The

Kada, Hachiro Sasaki and Naoki Matsunaga

problems have not been solved at all. We can’t

were exhibited.

be frightened or lament here because we have aAmong them, Hiroshi Hachiya's manuscripts

warm and encouraging solidarity across borders,were provided by the bereaved family for theand wisdom and encouragement of sensible

first time this time. Tsutomu Kada's manuscript

people. We will continue to advance toward thedata was provided by Goko Memorial Hall of thecollection, preservation and disclosure of

Kumamoto University, and Tadao Hayashi's

records and memories of "comfort women" frommanuscript data was provided by the Kyoto

now on.

Museum for World Peace at Ritsumeikan
University, and then printed ones were exhibited.
We published a catalog that contains images andreprints of all exhibited historical materials.
Distribution price is 500 yen, and postage fee is
100 yen.
http://www.wadatsuminokoe.org/home

Women who fight in Argentina spoke passionately.
88-year-old Nora held a picture of his disappeared8and submitted it to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Takeshi Onaga who pledged to oppose theconstruction of new US military base in Henoko
was elected as the governor in November, 2014.
However, Okinawan people’s wishes have been
ignored by the government which has been
trying to relocate the base to Henoko and build
the new US military base. Now the present(Translated by Kazuyo Yamane)situation of Okinawa is very problematic
because it is against the respect for pacifism,national sovereignty of the Constitution of Japan,

Yamanashi Peace Museum

and local autonomy. We have to say that this is

Director Tamotsu Asakawa

discrimination against Okinawa. Based on the

The Yamanashi Peace Museum held an

exhibition of "Let’s think about the Battle ofexhibition "New US Military Base Problem in

Okinawa" eight years ago, this time, theHenoko - Yamanashi and Okinawa & the Battle

exhibition of "New US Military Base Problem inin Okinawa" until the end of November in 2018.

Henoko - Yamanashi and Okinawa & the Battle

Below are the aims of the exhibition and thein Okinawa" was held as follows:

outline of the exhibition. If you are interested in<Panel display>it, please come to the peace museum.

1 Thinking about the Henoko base problem○ Henoko relocation is the only solution?

<The aim of the exhibition>
We held the exhibition of "Let’s think about the○ Henoko new base can not be madeBattle of Okinawa” to think what the Battle of○ Why " military base outside the Okinawa

Okinawa means and the relation between

prefecture" was torn down?

Yamanashi Prefecture and the Battle of Okinawa○Life of Kamejiro Senaga

from the fall of 2010 to spring of 2011 to raise○ Okinawa complains - a map of US bases

awareness of the issue.
2 Yamanashi and Okinawa & the Battle ofEight years passed since then and during thistime, in January 2013, Okinawa 41 municipal

Okinawamayors, Parliamentary Chairmen and heads of○ History of 49th Logistics District Corps

eachgroupsin

Okinawa

Headquarters

signed“apetition○ Monument of Peace and engraved people fromwithdrawalofOspreyYamanashi Prefecture

parliamentary

Prefectural Assembly
demandingthedeployment, the closure and removal of○ Showa Girls’ High School Team and Taichi

Futenma military base, and giving up the

Yamakirelocation of the US bases within the prefecture"

Another Tower of Kai in Okinawa <real9materials>

years after the war at 17 points and shows it on○ Yamanaka Kotofu related documentation○

17 monitors. The scenes emerging there are

Ryukyusu Shimpo (newspaper)

diverse and multilayered. At the same time, it○ Materials of Nago City Hall in Okinawa

also represents the diversity of multi-layered war

Prefecture

experience succession.

○Materialson

Fukutsukan

Museum"One-piece on August 6" is an exhibition<Reference> About 20 books. It should be noted

centered on a one-piece that was kept as Aikothat the exhibition was introduced in the Asahi

Kimura's which was the bomb victim during the

Shimbun: Yamanashi version of June 4, 2018.

labor mobilization of students on August 6, 1945

(Translated by Kazuyo Yamane)and died on the 12th. This dress was handed overto the museum after a memorial facility of war
mobilization students. Here we try to approach
Aiko's experience in the hypocenter andreconsider what has been shared through the
one-piece that was left behind.
In addition, we set up a space in the exhibition
room for visitors to output what they felt andthought in the exhibition. Through the past andpresent "August 6th" exhibition, we show one

The Animal Nursery by Pegge Patten

possibility of inheriting the war experiences in
the museum, so that visitors can imagine and2018 Autumn Special Exhibition "August 6"━Outcome of the Exhibition Model
Construction Project for the Succession of
War Experiences at the Peace Museum

chew ruminant experiences autonomously.

Advisor to the Kyoto Museum forWorld Peace Kazuyo Yamane
While 73 years have passed since the war andthe people of war experiences has declined, theimportance of inheriting them has been
advocated, but how can museums approach war
experiences? In this exhibition, we will consider"two exhibitions" from "August 6th" as a clue.
"Replica

Symphony"

Hiroshima

Peace

Memorial Park August 6 "(2015)" is theexhibition about an installation work that shootsthe day of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park of 70
10http://www.city.nagaokakyo.lg.jp/category/130-0-0-0.html(This is from the website.)This exhibition will be implemented as a resultof the project under the auspices of JSPS Grantin-Aid for Scientific Research 16K12814(Translated by Kazuyo Yamane)"Building an Exhibition Model for the War
Experience Succession at the Peace Museum"

Learning from Kou Makimura(2016-2018).

Grassroots House
Deputy Director: Keisuke Okamura

Dates November 6 (Tuesday) - December 16,
2018

80 years passed since t he anti-war poet Kou(From the website)

Makimura was killed on September 3, 1938

(Translated by Hisayo Kita)(aged 26 years old).

It was because of the

torture and imprisonmentby the Peace

Preservation Law. We introduce him with pride

Nagaokakyo City Virtual Peace Memorial
Museumsaying that "Takiji Kobayashi is well known asanti-war writer in the north of Japan while Kou◇ More than 70 years have passed since theMakimura is so in the south" at the Grassroots

end of World War II in Japan.

House Peace Museum.

Problem: People who experiences the war is

Although Kou Makimura was forgotten for adecreasing and materials on the war tend to be

while after World War II, publicly honoring him

lost.

began around 1963 (25 years after his death).

We want to convey it to future generations for

His tomb was made in 1969, and in 1988 (thepeace.

50th anniversary of his death) a monument of his

That's it! With the Internet we will not lose them!

poem of "Partisan Song in Kantou (in China)"◇ Effects of establishment of Nagaokakyo

was relocated to Josai Park which is the publicCity Virtual Peace Memorial Museum

land and it was refurbished in 2003 (65th•••

If you can use the Internet, anyone cansee it anytime and anywhere,
People can raise peaceful awareness by
watching experiences on war, materials,
reading peace education materials
You can leave records during thewartimeanniversary of his death). In the 100th
anniversary of his birth, we visited Yánbiān in
China to study and inherit from Kou Makimura.
Thus we had various events to learn from Kou
Makimura in his anniversary.
This

year,

at

the

80th

anniversarycommemoration project of Kou Makimura's
death, we had a photo exhibition "Kou
Makimura and Anti-War Activists of Kochi" andthe Grave Festival. We also invited Mr. Kenji
Miura (poet and critic) who gave a lecture ofEveryone, please use this by all means!

"Learning from Makimura and Live in the11Present. 119 people listened to his memorial

Oka Masaharu Memorial Nagasaki
Peace Museum

lecture seriously.
We will celebrate the 30th anniversary of theGrassroots House on November 11, 2019. We

Secretary General: Nobuyuki Sakiyama

greatly welcome dramatic movements towards

The 10th anniversary of the memorial

peace and friendship on the Korean Peninsulamonument for Chinese atomic bomb victims ofand promote the exchanges at the citizen level

Urakami Prison was held on July 8, 2018 at the

not to repeat past mistakes such as Japan’s

Peace Park in Nagasaki. Two bereaved families,

colonial rule and aggressive war which caused

Mr. Wang Hong Jie whose grandfather died at

the division of the Korean Peninsula. Having

the Hashima coal mine and Wang Jinhua whosesuch an aim we are planning to hold a photo

grandfather was killed by the atomic bomb at theexhibition titled "Kou Makimura and Anti-War

UrakamiActivists in Kochi" in Seoul in the Republic ofprisonwereinvitedthere.

Approximately 30 people gathered and a

Korea. We will introduce the young men who

memorial ceremony commemorating the 10th

opposed to the war in the age of darkness thoughanniversary of the construction of the monument

it was very dangerous to do so. We went into thewas held. It was held by t he organization called

preparation to introduce it around August 15, the"The Association to Support the Chinese

Liberation day in Korea.

Lawsuit against Forced Labor in Nagasaki" and"The Maintenance Committee of the Chinese Abomb Victim Memorial Monument" as well as
the peace museum because we also recognize
the importance of working for the Chinese
forced labor issue. On the previous day, asymposium was held to face Japan's war
aggression and think true friendship between
Japan and China". On July 21, we held the 3rd
meeting to talk about the legacy of Oka
Masaharu. 11 people gathered including Sonoda,

Also prior to the planning of the photo

the chair of the board of directors, and we looked

exhibition, we are enthusiastically planning theback at Mr. Masaharu Oka's life with the video

trip of Korea around the day of March 1, 2019

and talked with the participants. It became a(March 1st Movement for independence ofparty to confirm the feeling that we will do our

Korea). We would like to cause a wind of peace

best for one year.

from the citizen level in East Asia now from theOn August 9 about 200 people gathered in

Grassroots House.

front of the memorial for Korean atomic bomb

(Translated by Kazuyo Yamane)

victims in Nagasaki early in the morning. The
12

meeting was organized by the Association toas the first big project. The purpose of thisProtect Human Rights of Koreans in Nagasaki.

workshop was not only to make a film but also

We organized a trip to China from August 28

to let young participants become involved in

to Sep. 2 to study the damage on Chinese people

Okinawan history. For the workshop, 14 young

by Japan’s aggression of China during WWII.

participants gathered in Okinawa from different

Eight people including two students visitedplaces in Japan, and even Asia, to learn about the

Shenyang, Harbin, Dalian and Lushun and had

different monuments through reports andexchanges with people of 731 Unit Museum forinterviewing people. It seems this film workshop

the true friendship between Japan and China.

became a good opportunity for them to(Translated by Kazuyo Yamane)

understand the history of the war in Okinawa
deeply.

Himeyuri Peace Museum

Memory Walk participants and museum staff

Moreover, for the first time, the museum also

Curator: Katsumi Maedomari

held two fieldwark programs for parents and

The 17th Conference of Japanese Citizens’

children during the summer vacation in 2018,

Network of Museums for Peace which was heldand 20 parents and children participated. They

last September became a very fulfilled event

learned about the Himeyuri monument and the

because of the great participants and good

Ihara First Surgical Cave located nearby thereports. As announced before, Mr. Futenma

museum.

assumed the position as the new director at

In addition to supporting “Fostering Peace

Himeyuri Peace Museum in April, and the

Guide Youth in Itoman City” and “Skill Up

museum started working under the new

Seminar for Okinawa Interpreters,” the museum

administration. At this turning point for thetries to find ways to contribute to the local

museum, being host to the conference became acommunity and help the local people becomedelightful event.

more interested in topics relating to war andIn August, Himeyuri Peace Research Center,peace.

which was established in 2017, held Anne Frank

Furthermore, the Himeyuri Peace ResearchHouse workshop “Memory Walk” in Okinawa

Center organized a movie contest “Passing on
13

Himeyuri Story” which was planned fordead in them. For about 60 years, almost tens ofeveryone but especially the young generation

thousands of pieces of relics have been

who are used to taking movies with their phones

accommodated almost every day, and all but ain order to have them become interested in thepart already deposited in the museums in thehistory of Himeyuri and the battle of Okinawa.

prefecture are preserved in the private war

The contest accepted all styles of motion media

museum. Among them are the weapons andsuch as documentaries, animation, dancing, andmedical equipment of the Japanese army, parts

other performances.

such as a chest of drawers and tableware, items
related to the lives of civilians in the caves, aswell as the existence of “comfort women
stations” such as condoms and items related toprostitute quarters. Mr. Kuniyoshi has kept all byhimself, but he is getting old, and since aged
deterioration of goods is intense, it is difficult topreserve them with the power of an individual
any more. Three years ago we launched 'theFieldwork at the Ihara First Surgical Cave

Association to Preserve the Remains of the

The museum keeps looking for ways to get theBattle of Okinawa by Isamu Kuniyoshi' andyounger generation interested in keeping thelistened to his stories.

stories of the war vivid in our minds throughexhibition of 'Learning from Relics of the Battle

many approaches.

of Okinawa' in over 40 areas around Kansai.

Tel:098-997-2100 Fax:098-997-2102

There were great reactions from visitors, whichHP

reaffirmed the importance of learning from war

http://www.himeyuri.or.jp

FB

We also held an

remains.

https://www.facebook.com/HIMEYUIRI.PEAC
E.MUSEUM/(Translated by Emi Karimata)

The Battle of Okinawa: Let’s Make a
Network to Learn from Mementos
The Society of Preserving Remains from theBattle of Okinawa

War and Peace Exhibition (From the website)

Mr. Isamu Kuniyoshi living in Naha went into

So we are planning to deposit these relics at

caves of all prefectures after WWII and was able

the peace museums inside and outside of

to accommodate the remains and remains of the

Okinawa Prefecture. As a result, in addition to14

being able to protect valuable relics of Okinawa

publisher. Finally in 2018 it was published from

warfare by advanced preservation technology, it

another publisher.

would be possible to scientifically analyze theMr. Seizo Tajima said in the book’s

remains and have different approaches to theintroduction, "In order to share pain acrossstudy of Okinawan war history.

In the past thenational borders – this is the story of Hana

main approach of the study was based on

Bahba who was forced to work as a "comfort

listening to the war experiences. I also believe

women" of the Japanese army. I think that wethat exhibiting Okinawan war remains would beneed this picture book the most, especially formeaningful in the mainland of Japan because

young people. "there are few opportunities to learn about(Article from Mr. Yutaka Maruyama &Okinawa war. I hope that you will considertranslated by Kazuyo Yamane)making such an exhibition in the future.
https://en-jp.facebook.com/okinawakuniyoshi/(Translated by Kazuyo Yamane)

Publications

A book of Hana Bahba

Kwon Yoon-duk,translated by Kuwabata Yuka

Let's Convey Hiroshima to Future
Generations
Shogo Nagaoka who Created Peace
Memorial Museum

Published from Koro
A model of former Japanese army’s "comfort
woman" was written by Korean picture book

ByMasumi Sato / published by Shōbunsha

writer Kwon Yoon-duk in a Korean picture book
"Hana Bahba".

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum"Peace Picture Book Series" (11 volumes)(Atomic Bomb Museum) shows the cruelty ofwere published by writers in Japan, China andthe atomic bomb and quietly appeals "No More

Korea, and the book of Hana Bahba is one ofHiroshima" today.

them. However, only in Japan this book was notobsession and efforts of a single man. Its

published in the series due to the intention of theunknown story of the birth of the peace
15

It was born by themuseumnd also the unknown episode of the firstAugust 6, 2018. The nuclear deterrent theory is

director is introduced in the book. (in Japanese)

sharply analyzed in the book. (in Japanese)

Make full use of the Nuclear Weapons
Convention

Editors Notes
Ikuro Azai, Mitsuhiro Hayashida
and Akira Kimura(Kamogawa Publisher)"Muse" is a "medium to appeal to the world forpeace" by the members of the Japanese Citizens

Reflecting on the wishes of many people

Network of Museums for Peace. Since theincluding the atomic and hydrogen bomb

English version "Muse" Newsletter has also

victims, the United Nations adopted the Treaty

been published, it is literally "a plaza that is open

on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons on Julyto the world". Please contribute your article

7, 2017. It is currently in the ratification process.

actively.

In this book, the historical background and

On November 8th and 9th, the 25th

significance of the establishment of this treaty is

Conference of the Association of Japaneseexplained by Professor Ikuro Anzai who has

Museums for Peace was held at the Osaka

been working for the abolition of nuclear

International

weapons for more than 40 years, Mr. Hayashida,

discussions were made.

Peace

Centerandactivea young leader of the International Signature

From 2018, the Secretariat of the International

Campaiagn to ban nuclear weapons, andNetwork of Museums for Peace (INMP) was

Professor Akira Kimura, political scientist at

moved to Japan (Kyoto Museum for World

Kagoshima University.

Peace at Ritsumeikan University) and the 10th

It was published on
16INMP Conference will be held in Japan in 2020.

Welcome Your Articles

There are an increasing number of people who(Ms. Emi Karimata and Kazuyo Yamane). We’d

◆ Number of letters: about 500
letters in Japanese◆ Hopefully 1 or 2 photos◆ Due Date: We will accept it at any
time
Please send your article to thefollowing email address.

like to express our gratitude to her great efforts

musejapankyoto@gmail.com

become new INMP members through theconference of the Japanese Citizens Network ofMuseums for Peace and the Association ofJapanese Museums for Peace. Let's cooperatewith one another.
A new translator, Ms. Hisayo Kita, joined us

for peace as a student.

Japanese Citizens’ Network of Museums for Peace
is a treasure of the world peace museum movement
Japanese Citizens’ Network of Museums for Peace (JCNMP) does
not have a solid financial foundation but has engulfed 20 years history
since 1998 with strong motivation of members and volunteer spirit.
"Muse" has also been supported by positive contribution ofmembers who want to expand their experience to the rest of the world andprecious volunteer spirit of editing and translating it. Editorial Office of“Muse” welcomes the message of encouragement to JCNMP from theinternational community. Please send your message also to the following
email address.
musejapankyoto@gmail.com
We sincerely hope that such voluntary peace museum movement
will spread to countries around the world.

17