The main topic of the 52nd General Synod of NSKK, which met in May 1998, was the approval of the ordination of women as priests. Following this resolution, the first ordination of a woman to the priesthood took place within that year. So far, there has not been any serious trouble relating to the ordination of women within the three dioceses that have ordained women priests.
Although it didn't initially seem to be a major issue at the General Synod, overshadowed, as it was, by the women's ordination resolution, the proposal for establishing the Browning Challenge Fund with its forward-looking guidelines, would seem, on reflection, to be an important support in the near future for peace and justice issues in the Asia-Pacific region of the Anglican Communion. Edmund Browning, the former Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States visited Japan in 1997 and donated an initial $50,000 (US), implementing a promise made to NSKK in 1987. It is proposed that the Edmund Browning Challenge Fund, which will grow to $100,000 (US), be used to support the peace and reconciliation work of the Anglican Communion centering on the Asia-Pacific region. This proposal would get the final approval of an Executive Council Meeting this coming May.
New Security Treaty
On April 28, before the General Synod, the Japanese government submitted proposals to set new laws relative to the Guidelines of the New Security Treaty between Japan and the United States. In the first place, the changes are problematic in that the Guidelines presuppose China and North Korea as threats to Japanese security. Secondly, according to the Guidelines, the strength of the Japanese Defense Force would increase, deviating from the limits defined by the Japanese Defense Force Law and, consequently, violating provisions of the Japanese Constitution that limit the size and function of Japan's armed forces. Finally, according to the Guidelines, local governments should provide and staff facilities like airports and seaports that could be put to military use.
The campaign against this proposal has wide based support among the Japanese people. NSKK has given high priority to its own involvement in this campain. Relating to this, there is concern that the Japanese mass media are playing into the hands of the government on this issue by focusing on the possibility of a military threat to Japan from North Korea. To this end,they have exaggerated potential danger from North Korean warships and missiles. As Korean media commented, this is a campaign to promote the Guidelines. The agenda of the Japanese media on this sensitive issue should be watched carefully - and critically.
New Korean Relief
Over the past couple of years, NSKK has engaged in a quiet, but consistent movement to support an emergency food supply for North Korea. The campaign to paint North Korea as a potential military threat has not helped our ministry. Nevertheless, the task force of NCCJ for emergency food relief for North Korea has raised around $200,000(US) within the past three years. We have sent maize, edible oil, and medical goods. Now a fifth campaign to raise funds for food to the country is planned. In the meantime, the NCCJ team has visited North Korea. This is a rather quiet but effective movement which will hopefully facilitate the reunification of the Korean peninsula.
Justice 2000
After Lambeth 1998, the Jubilee 2000 campaign started in Japan, with NSKK participating, along with NCCJ and the Roman Catholic Church. Japanese Jubilee 2000 was officially launched on October 12, 1998, with a meeting that included over 100 people representing several NGOs as well as individuals. It was said that this gathering was unprecedented in Japan in its inclusivity, since so many different groups were present and planning to work together towards one goalÐthe relief of international debt. The gathering consisted of four main groups - the Roman Catholic Church,the Protestant churches,Japanese Labor Unions, and several volunteer groups.
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The Rev. Samuel Koshiishi of NSKK (left)
was an active participant in APJN discussions. |
The Roman Catholic Church has been a consistent advocate of this campaign to observe the year 2000 as a Jubilee time, and Cardinal S. Shirayanagi has been chosen as one of three representatives of the Japan group. Among the Protestant churches, NSKK has been the initiator of the campaign. As part of the preparation for the 1998 Lambeth Conference, NSKK began taking a close look at the international debt issue. This investigation was shared with some people of the NCC-J Center for Christian Response to Asian Issues, and then with the whole NCC, which now has formed an ad-hoc commission to deal with this issue. One of the representatives of Japanese labor unions, Mr. Washio, was invited for an audience with the Pope and encouraged to be part of the campaign. He has become one of the representatives of the Japan group.
The short-term goal of this campaign in Japan is to collect signatures of citizens in support of an appeal to the G-8 representatives, who will be meeting in Cologne in June, to include the International Debt write-off on their agenda. This same appeal will also go to the Prime Minister of Japan to encourage his participation in discussions of this issue. It will be difficult to make the signature campain work as the average Japanese person knows little of Jubilee 2000 and may well be apathetic about it. The main problem is that the Japanese mass media haven't covered this issue nor have thay covered any overseas stories on the subject. It is safe to assume that implicit pressure from the government is behind the Japanese media's silence.
The policy of the Japanese government on the Jubilee 2000 issue and the forgiving of debts of heavily indebted countries might be summed up this way: 1) to solve this issue thoroughly, it is first necessary for debtor nations to try to rebuild their local economies; the government fears that precipitous cancellation of debts will prevent them from making these efforts; 2) for the economic development of the debtor nations, financial reserves must be maintained; the cancellation of debts will hinder this; and 3) there is a law in Japan that does not allow debts to be written off, so the government is restricted in what it could do.
Another factor in the reticence of Japan to actively cooperate is the fact that a large amount of the debt is, in fact, held by Japanese financial institutions, and Japan has long been a strong supporter of the World Bank and IMF.
The struggle by Jubilee 2000 in Japan will be long and hard. Thus far, there have been three programs initiated, in addition to the signature campaign. One was an open symposium on January 30, sponsored by Christian churches, where about 100 people gathered to learn more about the subject. Another event was an outdoor dramatic performance on the subject done by college student volunteers and held near the residence of the Minister of Finance of Japan to engage his attention and appeal for his support. The largest program done to date was held on March 13, at Sophia University in Tokyo. This was an International Symposium at which there were speakers from Kenya, Guyana, and England. This event was sponsored by the Japan Committee for Jubilee 2000 and donations to attend covered the costs. In spite of a major attempt at leafletting, only about 300 committed people took part. As of this date, there are around 70,000 signatures collected; we hope to reach 100,000 by the end of April.
The local committee has also translated into Japanese a video tape made by Christian Aid in England on the subject of Jubilee 2000 and the cancellation of debt, and it is being sold to interested groups for wider distribution. Also t-shirts with the Jubilee 2000 logo and message are available for sale.
The NSKK will do what it can to support this effort and to inform people about Jubilee 2000.
