■ 2002 July

WFM's 24th World Congress
On 7 to 14 July, Rev. Mitsuo Miyake, Chief Minister Designated of the Konko Church of Izuo, visited London to attend World Federalist Movement (WFM) 24th World Congress. At this conference, Rev. Miyake was valued the contribution to WFM Asia Youth Center (AYC) as President and was elected as Vice Chairs of Council of the WFM.

Rev. Miyake at the World Congress

The previous day of the 24th World Congress, Rev. Miyake attended WFM board meeting on behalf of AYC. President Sir Peter Ustinov, Mr. James Christy, Mr. Keith Best, and Mr. William Pace reported the activities and the process of establishment of the International Criminal Court (ICC). WFM represents a lot of NGOs that are consultative organizations of Economic and Social Council (Eco-Soc) of the United Nations.

After the council meeting, the reception was held sponsored by WFM UK Chapter, the host organization. At the reception, Rev. Miyake deepen a friendship with a lot of executives who admired and respected Izuo Church's long standing support to WFM since the late Rev. Toshio Miyake started in cooperation with Dr. Hideki Yukawa, the first Japanese Nobel laureate more than 50 years ago.

Following the reception, more than ten representatives from WFM Asia Center (WAC) and AYC had the dinner for Rev. Miyake who had to leave for Japan before the conference closing because of the Women Association General Meeting of Izuo Church. At this occasion, they confirmed that Rev. Mitsuo Miyake would run for the Vice Chair election at the recommendation of Asian board members. It was also reconfirmed that the next, the 7th AYC General Meeting would be held in Calcutta in February 2003.

Group Photo at the World Congress
On 12 July, the opening ceremony was held at the Imperial College located on the south of Hyde Park in London. The previous World Congress had been held at the wholly chartered hotel in Madras, and this congress was held using the college during its summer holidays. Following the ritual opening ceremony, they discussed with a focus on ICC matters. It was easily perceived that approx. 200 attending members of WFM had strong enthusiasm for ICC.

ICC : Mr. William Pace, Executive Director of WFM, gathered more than 1,000 NGOs and founded CICC in order to establish a permanent international court. He greatly contributed realization of the agreement from the private side, and foundation of the permanent international court in Hague, the Netherlands is given the glory as the gigantic task equal to the establishment of the UN. This agreement has been ratified prescribed 60 countries 3 months faster than expected, and taken effect since 1 July. This International Criminal Court is independent of the UN Security Council, although the International Court of Justice belonged to the council.

Women Association Held the 74th General Meeting
On 15 July, the Women Association of Konko Church of Izuo held the 74th General Meeting, there gathered approx. 1,200 members from all over the country beside the bad weather of typhoon.

Mrs. Sugako Miyake offered a sacred twig

Following the thanks giving ceremony conducted by Rev. Mitsuo Miyake, Chief Minister Designated of Konko Church of Izuo, the general meeting was opened by Ms. Chizu Takeda's (President of the association) opening address. Mrs. Sugako Miyake, wife of Senior Chief Minister, Chair of the association, gave a speech and admired the member of the year (Ms. Sayoko Yoshimura, Ms. Chieko Okamatsu, and Ms. Tomie Muranishi). They sang together their song before speeches made by Ms. Tamiko Hirose and Ms. Itsuko Hattori.

Mr. Shizuka Kamei lectured eagerly

Mr. Shizuka Kamei, member of the House of Representatives and the former Chair of Liberal Democratic Party's Policy Research Council, delivered the commemorative lecture. He mentioned the prolonged recession and a series of scandals of politician and administrator, and criticized severely the government's lack of policy and cutoff the weak under the name of "structural reforms." He insisted the present problems are caused by failure of religious education in the post war period, so it is the only way of reconstruction of Japanese society to re-evaluate religion that has a higher regard for family and tradition.

members listing to Mr. Kamei

Mr. Kamei sympathizes with our social action programs, so he paid a visit to Izuo Church 6 times in the past 12 months. At the end of the ceremony, the most Rev. Tatsuo Miyake gave a prayer, declared their decision, and all the attendees gave three rousing cheers.

New Board Chair of Myochi-kai Visited Konko Church of Izuo
On 17 July, Rev. Keishi Miyamoto paid a visit to Konko Church of Izuo to inform the most Rev. Tatsuo Miyake, Senior Chief Minister, that he was appointed as the Board Chair of Myochi-kai Kyodan, a lay Buddhist organization.

Senior Chief Minister and Rev. Miyamoto

The Miyakes and the Miyamotos have friendly relationship beyond generations, so Rev. Mitsuo Miyake, Chief Minister Designated, joined to exchange opinions on issues around religious world.

22nd International Eternal Peace Festival
On 17 July, Mrs. Sugako Miyake, wife of Senior Chief Minister of Konko Church of Izuo, attended the 22nd International Festival to Pray for Eternal Peace held at the Festival Hall in Osaka, as President of Religious Women Association Osaka Prefectures.

Mrs. Miyake made a speech at the represent meeting

The ceremony started with memorial service for the victims in the World War II. The hall was filled with audience because this it is highly admired as new attempt of art to harmonize Japanese traditional religion and western music.

Dr. Hiroshi Shimizu, Professor emeritus of Tokyo University, delivered the commemorative lecture at the first stage, then the Most Ven. Jikun Shirai, Patriarch of Yuzu-Nembutsu-shu, conducted 70 priests and Osaka Century Orchestra, and performed religious art ceremony.

Mrs. Miyake was introduced on the stage

At the end of the ceremony, Mrs. Miyake was introduced to the audience as the religious representative who cosponsored this ceremony, with the Most Ven. Yoshitake Inaba, the former Patriarch of Shingon-shu Tantric Buddhism, and the Rt. Ven. Donin Minamizawa, Superintendent of Eihei-ji Temple of Soto-shu Zen Buddhism.

Funeral Service for the Late Load Kosho Otani
On 18 July, the funeral service for the late Load Kosho Otani, the former Patriarch of Jodoshin-shu Hongwanji-ha (Pure Land Buddhism), who had path away on 14 June was held at Hongwan-ji Temple in Kyoto. Rev. Yoshinobu Miyake, Executive Director, attended on behalf of the Most Rev. Tatsuo Miyake, Senior Chief Minister of Konko Church of Izuo.

The late Load Kosho Otani had served for a half of century as Patriarch of the largest Buddhism sect that has 10,000 branch temples and 7 million believers around the country. The Otanis succeeded the 24 generations of Patriarch from Shinran Shonin, the Founder of Pure Land Buddhism sect. He contributed the late Rev. Toshio Miyake's funeral as one of his friend 3 years ago, because they had cooperated each other to promote the international interfaith dialogue for long time.

The Funeral in Hongwanji-Temple

The Most Rev. Tatsuo Miyake also has had a deep friendship with the present Ptriarch, the Load Koshin Otani, for more than 30 years at CORMOS (Conference on Religion and Modern Society ) and other activities. So he was took care on equal terms with Patriarchs or Founders of other religions


IARF 31st World Congress

On 28 July to 2 August, International Association of Religious Freedom (IARF) had the 31st World Congress in Budapest Hungary. Rev. Mitsuo Miyake, Chief Minister Designated, and 5 members attended from Konko Church of Izuo.

Rev. Mitsuo Miyake at the opening ceremony

IARF established 1900 in Boston as the first organization to promote interfaith dialogue. It is NGO in General Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. It was the first world congress held in the Eastern Europe.
The venue, Budapest Economic Science University, was one of the prestigious schools in Hungary located facing the Royal Palace across Danube. It had been called "Carl Marx University" during the Socialism Era.

Rev. M. Miyake offered a Konko Prayer at the opening ceremony

On 28 evening, the opening ceremony was held at the main hall at the university. A representative from Hungarian religious society delivered a welcome message, and Mr. Eimert van Herwijnen, President of IARF made an opening address. Then Rev. Mitsuo Miyake, who stood on the stage as one of representatives from 6 religions, offered Konko Prayer in the traditional costume.

During the congress, "Prayer of Each Religion" was offered in every morning. On 29 Tsubaki Grand Shrine to represent Shrine Shintoism and Konko Church of Izuo to represent Sectarian Shinto offered a prayer; Rev. Yoshinobu Miyake offered Konko Prayer in English in order to deepen foreigners' comprehension.

Rev. Yoshinobu Miyake offering Konko Prayer in English

On 30, lectures were delivered according to 6 themes at the each hall as the preparation step for workshop to carry out the project in each region not to settle the meeting just for a meeting. This approach fascinated every attention especially Rev. Yoshinobu Miyake won the great attention to his lecture at the workshop "Using Information Technology for Religious Freedom." He sees the human history as the developing process of information media, and dissertated without interpretation about the impact that the process had given to religion with graphics.

On 31, they warmed up to discuss in 6 workshops according to the previous day's lectures. The attendees naturally brought different issue to mind on listening to the same lecture because of their different social backgrounds, therefore the Westerners' attitude that "Our standard should be the global one" was strictly criticized. In the evening, Rev. William Sinkford, the President of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) held a dinner inviting guests including Rev. Mitsuo Miyake and Rev. Yoshinobu Miyake.

Rev. Yoshinobu Miyake delivering a lecture

On 1 Aug. they received sad news from Japan. The Rev. Yukitaka Miyamoto, Chief Priest of Tsubaki Grand Shrine having served as the former President of IARF, passed away on the day. It was very his 80th birthday. He had supported IARF for 33 years. IARF decided to have Shinto style memorial service for the late reverend, however, the delegation from Tsubaki Grand Shrine had already gone back to Japan hearing his critical condition, therefore the Rev. Takahiro Miwa, Chief Priest of Kiyosu Hiyoshi Shrine, served as the chief mourner. Rev. Yoshinobu Miyake conducted the ceremony as a moderator, and Rev. Norio Sakai, the former Chairman of Rissho Kosei-kai, Rev. Mitsuo Miyake and other representatives offered a sacred twig to the sprit of the late Rev. Miyamoto. It was the last night of the conference, so they took dinner cruise on Danube.

On 2, the last day of the conference, it was tangled at the general business meeting where all the members vote to the issues, although it had been ritual every time. It was because some members from UUA and Japanese, the major power of IARF, expressed their opposition to the strategy of the present executives. They focused especially on President Herwijnen who tried to be re-appointed and General Secretary Clark who had drafted VCC (Voluntary Code of Conduct for Religious and Belief communities) that in the event contributed for authorities to clamp down religious freedom instead of to protect it.

The general meeting was so confused that just two proposals (new International Council board members' appointment and activity plan until next World Congress in 2006) were approved and others were not. It was unprecedented in IARF history.

commemorative photo

Rev. Yoshinobu Miyake was appointed as one of the International Council board members that has been selected from Izuo Church since the late Rev. Toshio Miyake was first appointed in 1969, Boston Congress, succeeded by the Most Rev. Tatsuo Miyake since 1990. Therefore Izuo Church continuously has a responsibility to management of transforming IARF.