■ 2003 February

Bean-Throwing Festival
3 February, Konko Church of Izuo held Bean-Throwing Festival* at the sacred hall and all the attendees received lucky beans after the service.

attendees received lucky beans

*Bean-Throwing Festival: the annual festival throwing beans to drive away an evil and invite fortune on the day of New Years Eve by ancient Chinese Calendar.

Symposium on Water
Prior to the 3rd World Water Forum sponsored by Japanese government in coming March in Shiga, Kyoto, and Osaka prefectures that lie along Yodo River originating Lake Biwa, Development and Environment committee of WCRP/Japan (World Conference of Religion and Peace) held a symposium on environment titled "Water, Biosis, and Life" at Heian-jingu Shrine in Kyoto on 5 February. Rev. Yoshinobu Miyake, Chief Minister of Konko Church of Kasugaoka, attended as a panelist and attracted the attention.

the symposium

The symposium held near Osaka, moreover Rev. Mitsuo Miyake presides over it as a Chair of the Committee and Rev. Yoshinobu Miyake served as a panelist, so that more than 70 believers took part in from Izuo Church. It was an opportunity to enter the hall of worship that is not opened to the public and offer a prayer; Rev. M. Miyake dedicated a sacred twig to the altar on behalf of all the believers.

Rev. M. Miyake offered a sacred twig

On the beginning of the symposium, Rev. Takeshi Nishida, Principal of Itto-en, delivered an opening address as an executive of WCRP/Japan. Japanese government asset showed how important this symposium was.

There is a pond sluicing water from Lake Biwa in precincts of Heian-jingu Shrine; some endemic species of Lake Biwa such as tanago (bittering) or moroko (a kind of small carp), that are about to be eliminated by introduced species such as large mouth bass or blue gill, miraculously survive. So, it can be said Heian-jingu Shrine was the very venue of the symposium to consider water and life.

from the left, Rev. Y. Miyake, Rev. Takai, Prof.Kada, Rev. Sonoda

First, Rev. Sonoda as moderator raised the issue "I believe it's meaningful to have this symposium in this millennium city because Kyoto has enjoyed the benefit of several rivers and amount of groundwater. Besides they will discuss about water from the various filed at World Water Forum, the declaration from the viewpoint of religious people who see water as origin of life is also necessary."

Prof. Yukiko Kada, a cultural anthropologist, illustrated about Japanese lifestyle before spreading of modern water supplying system that they understood water nurse them as drinking water, daily water, and agricultural water. They do not have a concept of discharged water, however, governments and companies became to take water as one of the consumer goods after water and sewerage system was developed under the name of modernization. She proposed we should review the spirituality and religious aspect of water again because to see water as consumer goods causes the present problems around water.

more than 200 attendees listened the symposium

oth Imperial Court and people of Kyoto since Capital was moved to Kyoto in AD794. He mentioned beliefs about water such as rain-making or rain-stopping rituals resulted in preservation of wood and mountain (water source) as sacred ground, to emphasize the necessity of reviewing Japanese traditional values to appreciate blessing of nature.

Answering moderator's request to show the deference of meaning of water among civilizations, Rev. Yoshinobu Miyake analyzed how to approach water in each civilization by comparing Genesis in Old Testament and Jindai-ki*1 in Kojiki*2 and referring the famous Israeli folk dance "Mayim mayim". He also described the difference of treatment to nature between monotheism established at a city-state in drying zone and polytheism nurtured by warm forest, and he broke down from the irresoluble Palestine conflict to crisis of Japanese safety myth of food with the keyword of "water." His speech was greatly awarded by the other panelists.

Following the rise of issue by three panelists, they had a discussion with attendees, and agreed Rev. Y. Miyake's proposal that "the lifestyle to respect and appreciate the nature and biosis," that had been kept naturally in a traditional life and succeeded generation by generation, should be review right now.

Rev. M. Miyake delivered a closing address

In the end of the symposium, Rev. Mitsuo Miyake as organizer delivered a closing address to express his expectation that each attendees should make the result of this symposium true in the daily life as a member of WCRP, the religious people of practice.

*1 Jhindai-ki: Myth of the creation of the World
*2 Kojiki: the oldest existing history documents of Japan

Cerebrate Senior Chief Minister's 75th Birthday
On 8 February, Konko Church of Izuo and the believers celebrated the 75th Birthday of the Most Rev. Tatsuo Miyake, Senior Chief Minister.

the most reverend received some gifts

(Following the service, the most reverend received some gifts and a bouquet from the represent of believers and delivered a sermon.

the most reverend delivering a sermon

The Miyakes Household Service
On 9 February, the Miyakes Household service was held leaded by Rev. Mitsuo Miyake, Chief Minister's Designated, at Senior Chief Minister's (the Most Rev. Tatsuo Miyake) residence as it was done while the late Chief Minister was alive. It attracted every attention that Yoshimasa Miyake, the eldest son of Rev. Yoshinobu Miyake going to Seifu Nankai Junior High School, attended the service for his first time in formal costume as the eldest grandson of Senior Chief Minister.

the most reverend made a speech at the reception

They had a banquet at RIHGA Royal Hotel in the evening. It was a heartwarming scene that Rev. and Mrs. Tatsuo Miyake blew off candles on a huge cake with five of eight grandchildren attending the reception.

Rev. and Mrs. Miyake with grandchildren

7th AYC General Meeting
Rev. Mitsuo Miyake, Chief Minister's Designated of Konko Church of Izuo, traveled around India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand from February 13 to 20 to hold the 7th General Meeting of the Asia Youth Center (AYC) of the World Federalist Movement (WFM) as Chair.

AYC was established in Chennai (the former Madras) in 19 years ago aiming to promote WFM in Asia. It is the most successful example compared with other area in the 60-year history of WFM. The late Rev. Toshio Miyake, the Founder of Izuo Church, greatly contributed for its foundation. AYC contains more than 10,000 active members mainly in South Asia (most of them are secular people) and develops social infrastructure according to situation of each country.

The meeting was held in the big city Calcutta, there are attended approx. 200 young people from every part of Asia including 6 members from Izuo Church.

Rev. Miyake and Mr. P.C. Sinha

In the evening of February 14, they had a welcome party, Mr. P.C. Sinha, Minister of Congress of Bengali State, gave a welcome address on behalf of host country, and then Judge Mukul Gopal Mukhopadhyay from High Court delivered a lecture. Rev. Miyake presented radio-cassette recorder and music tapes for local blind school. He has kept donating "practical equipments" every time he visits the country since he called at the facility managed by Mother Teresa for the first time 20 years ago. There are core members of Mother Teresa Project at AYC Calcutta.

On 15 February, the 7th General Meeting was started at a hotel by welcome message delivered by Mayor Sri Subroto Mukhopadhyay, and the "Candle Service" was carried out by representatives from every religion and nation symbolizing "uniformity in diversity" according to the tradition of Hindu.

Candle Service

Then Rev. Miyake delivered a speech. He expressed his appreciation to the staffs having served to prepare for the meeting, insisted the deep meaning to hold this meeting on this crisis timing that the world community is about to be torn by exchange of violence, and requested each member to make more effort.

Dr. S. Banarjee rise the first theme of this meeting, "Who should reply to the youth for their anxiety," three lecturers delivered a keynote speech under this theme. At the end of the session, Dr. James Aruptharaj as a working chair of AYC summed up the results.

In the afternoon, Dr. Saurav Das of AYC Calcutta moderated the second theme of "How NGO can contribute for sustainable development," three experts made a lecture, then the attendees consolidated their opinion at the plenary session following sectional meeting.

Rev. M. Miyake leaded the meeting to success

In closing AYC 7th General Meeting, Mr. S. David, Secretary General, proposed to appoint Rev. M. Miyake as Life President of AYC and renew the present board in occasion of 20th anniversary in the next year, and they decided unanimously to leave the choice of personnel to Rev. Miyake.

On 16 February, the 4th board meeting was held. Rev. M. Miyake and Dr. James Aruptharaj who would resign the working chair at this meeting reported the activities of this year, then Rev. Miyake requested for the each country to recommend the candidate for the next board. Especially he appealed to activate the movement in Southeast Asia where the basement of AYC is rather week compared with other region. It was also decided to hold AYC 20th anniversary ceremony including a parade of a band of 3,000 members inviting President of India as a special guest on 3 to 6 March, 2004 in Chennai where AYC was born.

On 18 February, Rev. Mitsuo Miyake visited Sri Lanka to attend Konko Church meeting in Colombo, which occurred naturally, in response to the request from International Center of Konko Church.

He also discussed with WFM local members about long-pending issue of running of Miyake Foundation Sri Lanka. All three TV companies applied an interview Rev. Miyake as WFM vice chair of executives to ask his opinion on the announcement in some weeks before that the conflict between majority Sinhalese (Buddhist) and minority Tamir (Hindu) was settled after about 20 years, and they established "Federal State". He held a press conference to answer.

Rev. Miyake answering the interview

He visited AYC Sri Lanka in the evening to have a meeting with local staffs. Then he met Konko Church members in the country again, to report to the International Center in Japan.

On 20 February, Rev. M. Miyake stopped at Bangkok Thailand on the way to Japan, to meet the most Ven. Aryawanso Bhikkhu of one of the largest Buddhism in Thailand. The most venerable appreciated that Izuo Church gave a warm reception to his nephew Mr. Mana Kosolkitiwong during his three-month training at Izuo Church a year ago. Rev. M. Miyake also visited AYC Thailand attended by Dr. Phichai Tovivich, a leading member of WFM Thailand.

Rev. M. Miyake looked over Asian countries so quickly in spite of its bad traffic condition to accelerate AYC activities in the area.

Middle Age Men's Believers Association Held an Assembly
On Feb. 23, the Middle Age Men's Believers Association (MAMBA) of Konko Church of Izuo held the Annual Assembly under the theme of "Overcome the Recession, Active Belief" with approx. 350 attendees from the country.

Following the service, the Assembly was opened.

attendees listening to the lecture by Mr. Maekawa

Mr. Akira Hirose delivered the opening address as President of the MAMBA at the beginning, and then Mr. Katsunori Ono and Mr. Nobumasa Nishimura made a speech, that they are active despite of the strict economic condition, on behalf of believers outside and in Osaka.

Then they had the commemorative lecture inviting Mr. Tomohisa Maekawa, President of Worker Welfare Council Osaka, who had tackled with the employment and labor issues for long years. He delivered a lecture about his experience.

Mr. Maekawa

He started how Mr. Konosuke Matsushita, the founder of Panasonic, managed his company under the situation of drastic changing of employee and employer relationship in the pre-war period. He also showed his unique viewpoint on the present employment crisis and deflation issue from his deep experience in the labor problem field through high-speed growth period, oil crisis and yen appreciation, bubble economy, and the Heisei Recession*. His lecture was very interesting that mentioned how people react when they are suddenly forced to face to company restructuring such as being fired.

the most reverend offered a prayer

At the end of the meeting, the Most Rev. Tatsuo Miyake, Senior Chief Minister of Izuo Church, offered a prayer, all the attendees decided the declaration of the year, and took the commemorative photo. They held a reception after the meeting.

*The Heisei Recession : the recession longing for more than 10 years since the bubble economy collapsed in Japan

IRFO General Assembly
On February 27, International Religious Fellowship of Osaka (IRFO) had the General Assembly 2003 at the Konko Church of Izuo. Dr. Keiko Nakamura, Curator of JT Biohistory Research Hall, delivered the commemorative lecture under the title of "Meaning of Human, from the Viewpoint of Genome" with 60 attendees from every religious group.

members listening to the lecture

Dr. Nakamura illustrated 3.8 billions bio-history existing on the earth that has been being unlocked by the development of bio-science, and described clearly about "the meaning of life" from the viewpoint of Genome.

Dr. Nakamura described clearly

They adopted "Declaration against Iraqi War" and sent it to each related governments.