Tohoku HELP started dealing with Radiation Issues from June 2011.

Radiation issue had been a very delicate issue even before the earthquake. But the issue became an unavoidable problem after the Nuclear Power Plant had an explosion accident. Hearts of many people are being riven, and daily live their lives burdened with distress and pain.

A year and a half passed since we started thinking how we should face these issues. And this summer, Tohoku HELP representative Reverend Takashi Yoshida wrote an article and officially announced it. This article was sent and published on the newsletter “Peace of Article 9 for those having religion”.

“Sendai Christian Alliance”, which is the largest group supporting Tohoku HELP, made decision on participating in the special event “Eighth Symposium and Peace Pilgrimage in Sendai” which “Peace of Article 9 for those having religion” sponsors, and because of this relation, the article was sent to them. For this special event, please access from here.

The fundamental posture of Tohoku HELP concerning radiation issues are clearly written in this article written by representative Yoshida. Following are the contents. We would be pleased if you would go through this article. And will be glad to know that this would be a help to know our posture.

(September 4th 2012 Written by Naoya Kawakami)

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Peace of Article 9 for Those Having Religion News Letter

We the “Peace of Article 9 for those having religion” started on May 15th, 2005, with the wish to have “Article 9 of the Constitution” shine. This “News Letter” is sent to those who approve the wish of “Peace of Article 9 for those having religion”. Please make practical use of this news letter, and let us spread these to those who wish the same.

“Article 9 of the Constitution”, “Nuclear”, and the roles of “Those Having Religion”

What is the connection of “Article 9 of the Constitution”, “Nuclear” and “Those who have religion”?
Though this question is like a riddle, I think it is not pointless to use sometime to think about this matter.

Before the earthquake we just joined all these things simply by using a word “Peaceful”. In short, we used the word “nuclear power for peace”.
Somehow we’ve been misunderstanding “Peace” with the warranty for the continuous growing needs of living. And we were made aware that this kind of peace is susceptible to collapsing.

If the accident had not had happened, we would have kept permitting the existence of “Nuclear Power”.
Concerning war or Nuclear Power, we (including those who have religion) always do not learn till we fail or commit a grand error. It is a sorry history, but we do not have any alternatives but to just admit and repent of our foolishness with a humble heart.
And if we do not try to learn from it even after we realize our error, we would be more than fools.

Article 9 of the Constitution was set forth so as not to repeat the transgression of war, which brings about the clearly distinguishing violation of human rights.
What is now called in question is what we would learn from the errors of nuclear accident and contamination by the radiation. The hypothesis of Article 9 of the Constitution, which is “The Japanese Constitution” starts with the determination of lasting peace and also confirming to “Keep the rights of living for the people in the whole world, so that they may all live without fear and poverty”, the so called “Rights to live in peace”.
Nuclear Power threatened the life of the citizens, and now it is clear that this nuclear has the power to throw us into fear and scarcity.

If we think about the words to connect the formerly said three words, it could be “Peace” and “Life”.
We think this way, because we who have a religion pray and wish knowing and valuing that these things relate to the fundamental happiness of humans.

This disastrous earthquake also taught us that we who have a religion have an essential duty of keeping close to those who do not have the same wish as ours.

In other words, our important roles is to greatly desire the peace and life by opposing against nuclear power, but in the same time, we think that we should not forget to keep close to the hearts of people in Tohoku who have experienced affliction by disaster (including all interest parties of Tohoku Electricity and Nuclear Power Plant), who are still striving amidst numerous contradiction.

We would like to attend this symposium that would be held at the disaster affected area, with hearts of gratitude and with many expectations.

(June 25th 2012) Written by Reverend Takashi Yoshida Representative of Sendai Christian Alliance