Japan Catholic News
August 2007
BISHOP HIRATA OF OITA AND FUKUOKA DEAD AT 93
Catholic Weekly, August 12, 2007
 Bishop Saburo Hirata died of pneumonia August 5 at Shindenbara Seibo
Hospital, Fukuoka prefecture, two weeks short of his 94th birthday.
Bishop Hirata was appointed the first bishop of Oita in 1961 and was
consecrated in March 1962. He took part in the Second Vatican Council,
1962 - 1965. In January 1970 he was installed as bishop of Fukuoka.
He resigned October 1990 and then worked as pastor of Itoshima Church,
Fukuoka prefecture. He moved to the Shindenbara Convent of the Visitation
of Mary Sisters in December 2000.
The bishop was born in Kitano (now part of Kurume city) August 18,1913.
After studying in France and his ordination in Paris in 1939, in 1941
he became the first Japanese member of the Society of Saint Sulpice,
a community of priests dedicated to training diocesan clergy. That
same year he returned to Japan and became a professor of biblical studies
at the Fukuoka Saint Sulpice Seminary.
As a member of the Catholic Bishop's Conference of Japan he chaired
the Biblical , translation and catechetical committees. He also co-chaired
the ecumenical Common Bible Translation Committee.
Sister Haru Tsuchida of the Shindenbara Convent said, "He lead
a life of gratitude. In the year and half since he had come here, crises
hit him three times, but he endured them calmly and peacefully. In
his suffering, he never forgot how to smile and to pray for blessings
on all visitors."
The current pastor of Itoshima Church, Fr. Naoaki Sakurai, said, "In
10 ten years as a simple pastor he built the basis of new parish. He
often told the faithful to take care of connections not only with God
but also with their neighbors."
Sulpician Fr. Toshiharu Yuasa commented, "He conducted my ceremony
of admission to candidacy for ordination to the deaconate and priesthood,
which turned out the last ritual he performed in the seminary. It left
a deep impression on me. Another impression he left us was his long
homilies. He was a big man, but as I saw him gradually grow smaller
in his late years, I could not help feeling sad."
Bishop Hirata was, indeed, known for his lengthy sermons.
YOKOHAMA PRIEST DESCRIBES HIS WORK IN BRAZIL BEFORE DYING ON RETURN TRIP
Catholic Weekly, July 29, 2007
 Yokohama diocesan priest Fr. Hiroyuki Ishikawa died suddenly July 1
in New York while returning to Brazil from a visit to Japan. He was
48 years old, and had worked in Brazil since 2005. Before he left Japan,
he gave an interview with the Catholic Weekly.
As a young man, he once visited the Monte Alegre of Amazon basin, dispatched
by the Tokyo University of Agriculture.
"As I had been considering agricultural immigration I fell in
love with the Amazon. I went back to university courses. Then I joined
Japan Lay Missionary Movement which sent me to the Philippines. After
that, I went to the seminary. Looking back at those changes, starting
from the Amazon, I have to admit that the course I took was full of
interesting turns."
It was 23 years after his first visit that he next set foot on Brazilian soil.
At the suggestion of Fr. Leopold Weber S.J. who used to teach at Eiko Gakuen
in Kanagawa prefecture, when Fr. Ishikawa finished his language training in Brazil,
he went to the Castanhar diocese.
Fr. Ishikawa explained that, "Fr. Weber said, 'The north is hot. And there
is the Amazonian jungle. Japanese missionaries don't like to go there.'"
The diocese was erected 2004 in Para State in the north of Brazil, and Fr. Ishikawa
expected to be there for three years, until October 2010. The new post contained
400,000 Catholics, 40 priests, 33 parishes, of which the largest one embraced
70 mission churches as well. The pastor was covering all of them by himself.
Fr. Ishikawa served the San Jose Church, the largest one in the diocese, sharing
pastoral duties with the pastor. He had to work under a continuous pressure of
such an overwhelming number of Catholics. He had to travel into the jungle, too.
He commented on the people he served.
"The south and the north are entirely different. The former is more like
Europe while the latter is really mixed, containing people of many descents:
African, Indian, Japanese and European. It is intriguing because of its abundant
variety."
Explaining the reason he chose to serve in Brazil, he said, "I thought my
stay in Brazil would help when I came back home to work for the 70,000 Brazilian
immigrants in the Yokohama diocese. I hoped that by entering into a parish, I
could experience the Brazilian way of life, the way parishes work, and all such
things, in addition to language skills to communicate. I think it turned out
to be a kind of reverse mission."
Fr. Ishikawa said he was struck by the life and work of priests in Brazil.
"As an assistant I moved around widely down to remote areas. Thus I could
experience a variety of pastoral cases. In Brazil a priest is a laborer. Even
if he is tired out after Masses, young people come for confession, taking no
heed of the priest's exhaustion. I found such a relationship between priests
and believers robust. In contrast, I find churches in Japan soundless, inactive,
quiet and without influence."
Commenting further on the Church in Japan, he said, "I think Japan has a
significant number of priests. For instance the 1,000 members of the Isogo Church
have one priest. This ratio is utterly inconceivable in Brazil. Let's assume
the population of the Isogo district to be 50,000. Then we need to understand
that we are part of a mission team of 1,000 plus one to unite in bringing the
Catholic faith to those 50,000. I hear, 'We want more attentive care.'
That's an extravagant complaint."
During his visit to Japan, Fr. Ishikawa attended ordination celebrations, the
50th anniversary of the Isogo Church and his own 13th ordination anniversary.
He underwent a physical examination, but did not foresee the sudden change of
his health that happened on his way back to Brazil.
Before heading back, he said, "I have homework to do. I really want to assist
the Castanhar Seminary. Nineteen students are now studying there and a seminary
building was finally put up just last April. I heard it costs $7,500 per month
to run. Japanese seminarians remember their overseas benefactors, don't they?
How I wish we could develop a similar relationship between Japan and Brazil.
Also I say to the Brazilian seminarians, 'Why not come to Japan?'"
CBCJ PLENARY MEETING LOOKS AT EVANGELIZATION, LITURGY, AIDS
Catholic Weekly, July 1, 2007
 The 2007 Regular Plenary Meeting of the Catholic Bishops' Conference
of Japan (CBCJ) was conducted at the CBCJ headquarters in Tokyo, June
18-22.
Participants included 17 bishops from the 16 dioceses and the administrator
of Fukuoka diocese, which is awaiting the appointment of a new bishop.
In addition, representatives of male and female religious and missionary
organizations and administrative personnel of the CBCJ took part in
the open sessions.
The meeting opened with greetings from the apostolic nuncio, Archbishop
Alberto Bottari de Castello, read by Msgr. Leon Kalenga, councilor
of the nunciature, since the nuncio was out of the country at the time.
The nuncio's message expressed joy at the pending beatification of
188 Japanese martyrs, saying that the beatification ceremony would
become "a time of complete spiritual renewal and special grace
from God." He also touched on various declarations issued by the
bishops' conference concerning issues such as peace and the separation
of church and state, underscoring his support of their work in these
areas.
The main activities of the meeting were as follows.
New CBCJ Officers
The new president and vice president of the CBCJ, Archbishops Takeo
Okada (Tokyo) and Jun Ikenaga (Osaka) took office, having been elected
to a three-year term during the Extraordinary Plenary Meeting of the
CBCJ in February.
During the meeting, bishops were elected to three-year terms as chairmen
of each episcopal committee.
Name Change for the Beatification Committee
The committee responsible for promoting the beatification of Peter
Kibe and 187 other martyrs, until now called the Special Committee
for the Cause of the Japanese Martyrs, will be renamed the Special
Committee for Canonization and Beatification. It will advance the causes
of the 188 martyrs in the present case, of 285 Japanese blesseds awaiting
canonization, and finally of the beatification of Ukon Takayama. Bishop
Osamu Mizobe of Takamatsu will act as chairman, along with committee
member Bishop Ryoji Miyahara of Oita.
Concerning the Liturgy
A Japanese translation of The Order of Mass and Eucharistic Prayers
and "Guidelines Concerning the Reception of the Eucharist during
Mass in Japan" were both ratified and sent to the Roman Curia
for approval.
Promoting Evangelization
To mark the 20th anniversary of the national synods on evangelization
(NICE) the bishops decided that a preparatory meeting on evangelization
will re-examine past methods of evaluation and review and present their
findings to the standing committee of bishops.
Synod of Bishops
The CBCJ will solicit the opinions of the heads of all dioceses, men's
and women's religious congregations and missionary groups throughout
Japan concerning the Lineamenta (topics under consideration) for a
meeting of the Synod of Bishops -- a representative assembly of
bishops from around the world -- to be opened in October 2008
at the Vatican. Based upon these opinions, Archbishop Mitsuaki Takami
of Nagasaki, who will attend the synod, will create a draft response.
Next October, the draft will be discussed at a special plenary session
of the bishops and a final response will be formally approved.
Preparing for Unification of Seminaries
The main outline of ideas concerning the unification of the Tokyo Catholic
Seminary and the Fukuoka Saint Sulpice Seminary presented by the preparatory
committee for the schools' unification was approved. The same committee
will continue its work.
Closed-Door Session
At a closed-door session on the third day of the conference, the bishops
participated in a workshop on the theme, "The present state of
HIV/AIDS in Japan: The weight and severity of the situation."
The three main presenters were Mami Iida, a Tokyo government employee
working on countermeasures to infectious diseases; HIV and Human Rights
Information Center worker Yasushi Shioiri; and a telephone counselor
from the same center, Sister Machi Shigehisa.
In addition, Father Tsuyomi Makiyama, rector of the Fukuoka Saint Sulpice
Seminary, reflected on the response demanded of the Catholic Church,
drawing on information presented in a 2005 message from Caritas Japan's
HIV/AIDS Desk.
According to Father Makiyama, "I think that responses to this
problem must be considered in terms of each context: in parishes, at
church schools, during marriage preparation and Catholic educational
institutions. It seems that the bishops consider this an extremely
serious potential problem, but concrete action within each diocese
has yet to begin."
CATHOLICS IN KAGOSHIMA RUN LUNCH SERVICE FOR ELDERLY
Catholic Weekly, July 22, 2007
 Two Saturday mornings each month at 10 o'clock cars and buses arrive
at Our Lady's student dormitory in Kagoshima city, carrying elderly
people who participate in the Yurai/Ai, a meal service provided by
local Catholics.
Aki Tamotsu, 89, the oldest member of the group, said, "I feel
young again when I come here! I receive energy from everyone."
About 30 people attend each time. Their average age is 82 and they
come from seven Catholic parishes in Kagoshima. Some 25 volunteers
help out, driving people to and from the dormitory, cooking food, playing
the piano, etc. Volunteers and participants alike pay \500 as they
enter the hall for Mass.
After Mass celebrated by retired Bishop Shinichi Itonaga of Kagoshima
the meal begins at noon. Various kinds of games and recreation are
provided and tea and biscuits are served before the participants go
home at 2:30 pm.
"I come for some proper nourishment," many people say after
the meal cooked by volunteers, one of whom is a nutritionist. Salads
contain cucumbers which are finely cut and heated so they can be eaten
easily.
According to Tatsuo Oshikawa of St. Francis Xavier parish, "The
participants bring what they can with them."
The volunteers, too, bring pickles and fruit and decorate the tables.
The flowers that decorate the place are gifts from local flower shops
and individuals in the area. There are also people who save their small
change and donate it each week.
These gatherings began in June 2005. One of the initiators was Shoko
Matsumura of Taniyama Church, president of the Kagoshima branch of
the Catholic Nurses' Association of Japan. While going around with
members of the association to check the blood pressure of the elderly,
she became concerned about the people she met. There is no institution
in Kagoshima diocese catering to the health and welfare needs of elderly
Catholics. She began to wonder if she could do something for them,
and discussed possibilities with her friends and parishioners at St.
Francis Xavier Church.
They decided to set up a day-care service, the beginning of Yurai/Ai.
In the dialect of Amami Oshima, "yurai" means "gathering" and "ai" is
the Japanese word for "love."
Organizers began by baking and selling cakes, and started the service
with a fund of \20,000. Then they went around each parish looking for
volunteers, and the Mission Sisters of the Holy Redeemer offered the
use of their student dormitory. Sr. Yaeko Sawa said that she offered
the use of the dormitory because she felt the need among the elderly
for such a service. Although there were no funds to make the building
accessible for elderly people, the volunteers made slopes and bridges
to overcome the problems.
The elderly people who come to these Saturday morning gatherings enjoy
singing along together accompanied by the harmonica played by one of
the volunteers. One of the volunteers who previously worked in a home
for the elderly said that "the voice with which they sing at Mass
comes out here too."
"The food is good, and it is good to sing together also. It is
good that everyone looks happy," said Soe Tanaka of St. Francis
Xavier Church.
BRAILLE LIBRARIES TRANSCRIBE ELECTION MATERIALS FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Catholic Weekly, July 29, 2007
The Tokyo Logos Braille Library, located at the Catholic Center in
Tokyo, once again prepared Braille transcriptions of documents published
by political parties in preparation for the July 29 election for the
Japanese Upper House.
Transcribing election material was first undertaken by the library
before the Upper House election three years ago, and this was the second
time such a service was provided.
"Up to then we merely put out a list of the candidates with their
names, age, party affiliation and personal history. But that left gaps
in the information available for people and they were not able to make
informed decisions when voting," said Shuji Takahashi, Logos director.
So, in cooperation with the 21 Braille libraries around the country
they started the "Visually impaired people's election information
assistance project," and began producing publically distributed
election information in Braille.
"This time we were able to produce in Braille almost one hundred
percent of the literature of both the proportional representation and
electoral districts," said Takahashi.
All of the Braille election literature was compiled from material produced
by each local Election Management Committee, and then purchased and
distributed around the country for approximately 50,000 visually impaired
people. Logos was in charge of distributing some 2,500 pieces from
Hokkaido and Yamanashi prefecture.
The forthcoming House of Representatives election has more proportional
representation districts and electoral districts than for the present
Upper House election.
"The House of Representatives election has ten proportional representation
blocks and three hundred electoral districts. From the time the election
is announced to the election itself there are only 12 days," said
Takahashi. "We are worried about how we will be able to guarantee
that we will transcribe all the election material into Braille."
SEVERE QUAKE LEAVES 15 PERCENT OF PARISH HOMELESS
Catholic Weekly, July 22, 2007
A July 16 earthquake near Niigata and Nagano prefectures registered
an intensity of a high six on the Japanese scale, the second-highest
rating, at Kashiwazaki in Niigata.
According to Franciscan Father Leo Butz, 83, pastor of the Kashiwazaki
Church, "Fifteen percent of parishioners' homes were completely
destroyed. However we had no injuries. Twenty or more are living in
gymnasiums here and there. Because the Self-Defense Force and various
aid groups are hard at work, there is no problem. But life in the gyms
must be painful, especially for the elderly."
The three-story Kashiwazaki Church, designed by Fr. Butz, "had
no problem at all because the foundation was laid with 150 piles to
a depth of 50 meters," he said.
Since the attached kindergarten did not have such construction, the
floor heaved up, wall tiles fell off and other damage took place.
Overall, the priest reported in a telephone interview with the Catholic
Weekly, damage was great. The entry-way to the church and the outside
stairways were severely broken up, the kindergarten block fence is
leaning to the outside. In the playground, there now runs a long crack
about 20 centimeters wide.
"Just to see it is frightening," said Fr. Butz. "It
looks like spaghetti. But if it rains, it will be cleared away."
Roads and railroads are badly damaged and will take considerable time
to be restored. "The highways too were destroyed. They are heaved
up."
A news report on July 17 reported that in Kashiwazaki 80 percent of
the city was without electrical power. However, the Church had electricity
though it lacked gas and running water. The kindergarten was scheduled
to reopen once water was restored. Another nearby kindergarten which
suffered great damage had already entered summer vacation.
Commenting upon reports of leaks of radioactive material at the Kashiwazaki
nuclear power plant, Fr. Butz said, "Many church members work
at the plant and if they get radiation, they will get cancer. That's
our worry."
At the end of his phone interview, the priest said, "Be sure to
write the following."
He then told how right after the quake, diocesan priest Father Manabu
Takahashi, 40, rushed over by car from the neighboring Mitsuke Church.
"He arrived about 8:30 PM with drinking water and flashlights.
It's only about 50 kilometers away but it must have taken about 4 hours.
We are delighted by his thoughtfulness."
SYMPOSIUM LOOKS AT PERSECUTION FROM CATHOLIC, BUDDHIST PERSPECTIVES
Catholic Weekly, July 15, 2007
Over 150 people attended a June 30 symposium at Nakamachi Church in
Nagasaki entitled "The State and Discrimination from the Viewpoint
of Christian Persecution."
The symposium was sponsored by the Episcopal Commission for Buraku
Issues and participants studied the relationship between discrimination
and religious persecution.
One of the three speakers at the symposium was Rev. Masatoshi Fujiwara,
a Buddhist priest of the Shinshu Otani-ha Doctrinal Research Institute,
who has published a book on the Christian view of the Shinshu school
of Buddhism. The book contains portraits of Shinshu believers as viewed
by Americans and Europeans drawn from the writings of a Catholic missionary.
From this work Rev. Fujiwara believes that "there are common elements
in the way they were viewed by people and by the state."
Explaining the historical enmity with Christianity from the Shinshu
point of view he talked about the increase in the number of believers
of both religions and oppression by the ruling authorities, and the
community of faith that existed in background.
Emphasizing the importance of confronting discrimination inside oneself,
Rev. Fujiwara said, "When you confront discrimination not as a
movement but as something within yourself, it is related to the state."
Bishop Osamu Mizobe of Takamatsu, chairperson of the Special Committee
for the Cause of the Japanese Martyrs, spoke on the "Christian
persecution and national policy."
Taking the example of the persecution of Christians from Murakami in
Nagasaki at the beginning of the Meji era, he said that these people
risked their lives to oppose the modernizing policy of the Meji government
which aimed at making Japan a "land of the gods" centered
on the emperor. They refused to recognize a human being as a god, and "we
have to seriously heed the message which these martyrs left for us," said
Bishop Mizobe.
Father Renzo de Luca, director of the 26 Japanese Martyrs Memorial
Hall in Nagasaki, spoke on "Discrimination and the Christian martyrs." The
Jesuit said there was much to be learned from the martyrs who nonviolently
resisted state persecution and discrimination.
During the final discussion, the chairperson, Bishop Daiji Tani of
Saitama, asked, "Why did the number of both Shunshu and Catholic
believers increase during a time of persecution?"
In answer to the bishop's question, participants speculated that the
respective organizational structures which developed during the persecutions
were a common factor in this.
The Episcopal Commission for Buraku Issues also organized a symposium
at Tamatsukuri Cathedral in Osaka July 7 on "The State and Discrimination:
the Emperor System." The principal speaker was Junko Minamoto
of Kansai University's Human Rights Research Institute.
SAPPORO PRIESTS LOOK AT AGEING
Catholic Weekly, July 15, 2007
A July 3-4 gathering of more than 40 priests working in the Sapporo
diocese looked at the issue of ageing among the clergy.
Bishop Toshio Jinushi opened the convention held at Fuji Gakuen Seminar
House, saying, "Ageing priests, too, must engage in forward-looking
discussions so that we may stay lively."
Redemptorist Father Waldemar Kippes, director of the Clinical Pastoral
Education & Research Center in Kurume, Fukuoka prefecture, gave
a presentation on "Living out Aging."
Fr. Kippes said, "To live is to grow and change."
He added that though change involves struggles and pains, it helps
one grow regardless of age. To change means to get older, to face weakness,
unwellness and death. There is no manual for living, so each of us
must create our own style of living.
He continued, saying that since nobody has ever experienced death,
the only one who can claim to be a death specialist is the resurrected
Jesus alone. Pastoral care for a dying person is help in making change.
The care provider has to be a master of silence and boredom, to being
powerless, to wait positively, and in taking an adaptive attitude.
To stay aware of one's own thoughts and tones is also important.
After the speech participants exchanged views on getting older. One
priest caused some laughter when he said, "No matter how much
we think about ageing, what comes after aging is simply death, isn't
it?"
After the conference, Father Yo Basaki, diocesan chancellor, told the
Catholic Weekly, "We spoke about how even as we age we are still
given life, so we should gratefully carry on as we are. In doing that,
we'll help those around us to grow."
He added, "The maximum number of participants we ever had (for
the priests' gathering) was about 70. Now it's down to 41 and
most of them are old. The crisis facing us is the same as that facing
Japan on the national level. We have to unite to respond to the situation."
SEMINAR LOOKS AT ISSUE OF NURSES FROM PHILIPPINES
Catholic Weekly, July 8, 2007
Some 70 people attended a June 28-29 seminar in Tokyo for the Tokyo
Church district (Sapporo, Sendai, Niigata, Saitama, Tokyo and Yokohama
dioceses) sponsored by the Catholic Commission of Japan for Migrants,
Refugees, and People on the Move.
The theme was "Philippine Nurses and Caregivers are Turning Up!
Acceptance of immigrants and confrontations in the regional community
in a time of population decline."
Eriko Suzuki of Rikkyo University spoke about the current political
policy concerning immigrants in Japan.
She pointed out that while there still is generally not a lot of discussion
of immigration, people note the large influx of immigrants. The "effects
of immigration," including those acquiring Japanese nationality
or applying for permanent residency, number around 55,000 people (as
of 2005) every year. In the midst of Japan's aging and declining population,
whether to accept immigrants or not is a pressing issue. On the other
hand, with increasing revelations of illegal immigrants (and similar
issues), immigrant control on the part of public bodies is increasing.
In such a situation, people are struggling for the acceptance of nurses
and caregivers from the Philippines. Suzuki explained that there are
people opposed to welcoming foreign workers when Japanese long-term
employment and pay scale standards seem threatened, but such fears
are unrealistic.
Although Japanese society and institutions have traditionally looked
on foreigners unfavorably, there are places like Osaka's Namano Ward
and Gumma's Oizumi-machi that accept new residents. In those communities
the immigrant population by far exceeds the national average of 1.63
percent. Such communities break down the "three walls" of
language, institutions and hearts, said Suzuki. They present an appeal
for unity, appreciation of each other's cultural differences
and integration.
"While informing people about the conditions that have existed
up until now, we must think together about the people that come from
now on," Suzuki concluded.
During the gathering's question-and-answer session, the question arose, "After
bringing in nurses and caregivers, won't there be a danger of labor
brokers who abuse the system?"
Suzuki replied, "If it becomes a matter of some sort of slave
trade, public intervention will be necessary. Opportunities for open
communication and, if needed, shelter must be provided."
SOPHIA UNIVERSITY STUDENT GROUP AIDS CHILDREN OVERSEAS
Catholic Weekly, July 15, 2007
 For 32 years an NGO (non-governmental organization) at Tokyo's Sophia
University run mainly by students has assisted elementary and junior
high children's education in India and the Philippines.
MEGUKO -Action for the Self-Reliance of Children in Asia currently
has about 30 students involved in it.
"Nowadays people seldom relate to others. I kind of lost the meaning
of being kind to others," said Mayu Makita, a Foreign Language
Department sophomore. "Here I felt I am assisted by so many people
who show me such a bright side of the human society.
"Running Meguko, I came across so many different ideas from our
supporters, and they did make me grow, " said the group's treasurer,
Shogo Yamazaki, a Law School junior.
These students started to get interested in Meguko for different motives.
Some were interested in volunteering, and others were interested in
the annual tour to visit the institutions they are supporting.
Last year Meguko sent $39,000 (about 4,800,000yen) to institutions,
most of them Catholic, in India and the Philippines. The aid to India
consisted of contributions to nine institutions that operate schools.
In the Philippines, the group is providing scholarships for 640 children
selected through five institutions.
In targeting children in primary and middle school, Meguko stresses "providing
opportunities to children who could not have a chance to receive education," said
Yuji Motoki, like Yamazaki, a Law School junior.
The most important aim is to work for the independence of the institutions. "If
the institutions will be able to run everything on their own, that
foster the self-reliance of children there. This is our belief, and
we work on it," said Motoki.
Donations received from about 200 supporters are sent directly to the
institutions. The group's operating expenses are raised from the earnings
of bazaars three times a month as well as a December charity concert
and other activities around Sophia University.
Meguko members also participate to festivals of the university, do
street appeals for donations and give lectures at junior and senior
high schools.
In summer, the members visit the Philippines and India in alternate
years. This is in the line with their principle: "face-to-face
aid."
Meguko's inspiration came in 1975, when students accompanied by Jesuit
Father Anselmo Matais, then a professor at Sophia, passed through Mumbai,
India, on their way back from a trip in Europe. Seeing the poverty
of a children's care center, they started to feel "the urge
to do something as fellow human beings."
When they returned, the students founded "Give Hands of Love to
Unluckly Children! (in Japanese: Megumarenai kodomotachini Ai no te
o)" Appealing for donations, in December of the same year they
sent their first contribution to the children's care center.
Because they later decided that the word "unlucky" carries
an air of paternalism, the name has been changed to the present one. "Meguko" is
the abbreviation of the first name, but they have kept it since it
has become better known than the official name.
The alumni of Meguko are also involved in the organization as its supporters
from different fields such as private companies and NGOs.
Because the organization is totally run by students, every year there
are members who graduate and have to hand over the work they did. This
is one difficulty they face, but Motoki, the foreign language student,
said, "Being a student-run organization itself is very important.
We are learning so much here. I wish we could pay back what many people
have given us."
Donations to Meguko can be made by postal money transfer to Meguko,
number 00190-2-149852. Details can be found at the Meguko website,
www.meguko.com/.
NAGOYA AWARD GOES TO ACTIVIST FOR RECONCILIATION OF CRIMINALS, VICTIMS
Catholic Weekly, July 1, 2007
 The second Aloysius Prize commemorating the late Bishop Nobuo Soma
of Nagoya, who was famous for his work in social justice and whose
baptismal name was Aloysius, was awarded to Masaharu Harada, founder
of "Ocean, a group to reflect on the encounter of victims and
wrongdoers."
About 25 years ago, Harada's younger brother was murdered for insurance
money. According to Harada, at the end of long years of pain and suffering,
he began to think, "I do not want the death penalty [for the murderer]," and
sought some other way that of dealing with the issue that victims'
families and murderers' families could assent to.
The group where Harada works as the representative, Ocean, began bringing
victims' families and murderers' families together to find a way to "healing,
forgiveness and reconciliation."
The group has become the first affiliate of the American group Murder
Victims' Families for Human Rights (MVFHR). Supporters number over
100, including several victims' families, the original author of the
movie Dead Man Walking and Sr. Helen Prejean, an American activist
in the anti-death-penalty movement who has frequently come to Japan.
According to Harada, the words "we must take into account the
victims' feelings"are often given as a rationale for the death
penalty. Nevertheless, when Harada met Toshihiko Hasegawa, his brother's
murderer, on death row four times in five years, he realized that, "if
the victim's family and the murderer face each other in person as human
beings, conversation begins and feelings of reflection and apology
are born in the criminal, leading to repentance."
Thinking, "What I want is not the death penalty, but that the
prisoner squarely face his crime, feel the pain, and, while continuing
to reflect, make reparations by his own volition for the rest of his
life," Harada sought a stay of execution for Hasegawa as well
as opportunities for the prisoner to meet his victim's family. Harada
emphasized that this was "the victims' feelings" but his
appeal was not granted and Hasegawa was executed in Dec. 2001.
At present, Harada's foremost fear is the "Victims Attendance
at Criminal Court System" adopted by the House of Councilors and
the "Juror System" to be introduced by May 2009 whereby citizens
take part in the criminal courts.
"The government, utilizing 'citizens' feelings' and 'victims'
feelings,' wants to continue the death penalty system," said Harada. "It
is natural that right after the crime, the victims' families desire
the death penalty for murderers. I was that way too. Yet 10 years later
my thinking has changed. If the victims' families come to the courtroom
holding feelings of revenge, the courtroom becomes a place of conflict.
Mass media stir that up, and ordinary citizens seeing that dispute
come to want the death penalty. Nevertheless, no one at all knows the
real feelings of the victims' families."
Six years have passed since Hasegawa's execution, but as far as Harada
is concerned the incident is not over. On the occasion of the murder
24 years ago, Harada fell ill from the stress, had to quit work, and
his family collapsed. At present, living alone, and in spite of his
illness, he continues to work in the movement to abolish the death
penalty.
"Because my brother was killed, I lost everything -- family,
health and work, too. Even though Hasegawa was executed, nothing has
been resolved. I think that the weightiest problem is to take care
of the victims' families. If the psychological and economic care of
the victims' families is carried out fully, won't we be able
to give a calmer judgment on the death penalty system?"
Harada nowadays has interviews with murderers in other cases and if
they indicate a desire to apologize he urges them to convey it to the
victim's family. He also meets the families of victims and murderers,
attempting to help them find a path to mutual healing.
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