World’s religious leaders call for nuclear weapons abolition

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

World’s religious leaders call for nuclear weapons abolition

Religious leaders from around the world concluded their international conference by issuing a call on the governments of countries participating in the G8 Summit (July 7-9, Toyako, Hokkaido) to work to abolish nuclear weapons and set concrete measures to prevent global warming.

The World Conference of Religions that took place on July 2-3 in Sapporo City with about 300 religious people, including 100 overseas delegates from 22 countries, was hosted by the World Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRRP) Japan Committee.

The statement called on the world leaders to pay attention to the close connection between the environmental destruction and war, pointing out that it is contradictory to try to regulate greenhouse gas emissions while using more tax money for military buildup. It called for a cut in military expenditures and the establishment of post-Kyoto Protocol framework to effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

It also demanded that nuclear-weapon countries immediately take steps to fulfill their responsibility to eliminate their nuclear weapons arsenals.

In a speech on July 2, Otani Koshin, the Monshu of the Buddhist Jodo Shinshu Nishi-Hongwanji Sect said, “People of faith have to sincerely feel remorse for past mistakes and try to avoid being taken advantage of by politicians.”

Otani stressed that when they face social issues, people of faith can overcome their religious differences and cooperate with each other based on their common ethical principles. - Akahata, July 3 & 4, 2008