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“Swords into plowshares, and spears into pruning hooks”
Joint Statement of the 9th Consultation of the NCCJ and NCCK
On Oct. 15 to17 the NCCK and the National Christian Council in Japan held a bi-lateral consultation with the theme Peace in North East Asia: Challenges to the Churches in Japan and Korea. The consultation was reported in the November newsletter, and following is the official statement which resulted from the deliberations.
Joint Statement of the 9th Consultation of the NCCJ and NCCK
“Swords into plowshares, and spears into pruning hooks”
He shall judge between many peoples,
and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away;
they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore; (Micah 4:3)
The National Christian Council in Japan (NCCJ) and the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) gathered together in Seoul on October 15-17, 2015 for their 9th bilateral Consultation to reaffirm the two churches' common vision, respond to emerging issues and invigorate the ongoing partnerships among the grass-root organizations of their constituencies. Under a theme "Peace in Northeast Asia: Roles of the Japanese and Korean Church", approximately 100 delegates participated in the consultation.
In 2004 in Tokyo, at the 8th Consultation, two churches agreed on the following: “in order to align with the rightist inclination faith has been interpreted as a pathway for personal salvation and adhered to traditional doctrines, and eventually church growth has become the major concern for the faith. there is an increasing tendency to ignore the sufferings brought by the rule of power and settle for the present." With such reflection on the faith, the 8th Consultation confirmed the common goal of "searching the true face of the church and theology to faithfully respond to the spiritual thirst of people and work with people for the emancipation from oppression, resisting the currently rising fundamentalism and neo-conservatism.
Eleven years since then, the year 2015 is the 70th anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War II and Korea's independence and division. Although 70 years have passed, the geo-political situation in Northeast Asian is still explosive. Military tension between North and South Korea has escalated as the division system has solidified. Pain and suffering among the North Koreans have been aggravated by the decades-long sanctions against the North and the intensified pressure on the North from the international community. Furthermore the Korean peninsula could be a flashpoint at any time due to the recent amendment of the “Guidelines for Japan-US Defense Cooperation”, the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) deployment plan and the Anthrax delivery case in Korea. This will certainly threaten peace and security in the entire region beyond the Korean peninsula.
Asian people suffered under Japanese colonial rule and the wound has not been healed. However, there has been no sign of a true repentance from the Abe administration on Japan’s past invasions, atrocities and colonialism. Recently the Abe administration is consolidating all its efforts to revise security-related bills and Article 9 in a total negation of constitutional democracy. Revising Article 9 will definitely bring about serious instability in the region. Hate speech and discrimination against minorities in Japanese society has reached extreme levels.
Japan's colonial rule has left great pains for Asians and that pain remains unattended to this day. Despite that, Abe's administration has failed to repent for the past invasions and colonial rule but rather has been rejecting the democracy-based constitutionalism and forcing new security-related bills. Moreover, the US and China's military hegemony has left Korea and Japan victims of a proxy war and seriously threatens the peace and security in North East Asia.
The key presentation of the 9th Consultation has reminded us of the significance of "struggle with memory": through 'remembering', we repent our past, re-member the present and create a new generation to carry out the hopes of the future. Furthermore, it has been shared that without civilian’s (people’s) solidarity, it would be impossible to build lasting peace in North East Asia which transcends the territorial space. It was also confirmed that religion in general and Christianity in particular is a main pillar for realizing such a peace mission. We express our deep concern over the current situation in which Abe administration forcibly passed the security-related bills including collective self-defense right and therefore Japan might be a country which can wage wars: Japan, beyond Asia, is threatening peace in the world. Hence these two churches affirm the common mission in which they work together to heal the past wounds and to engage themselves in theological dialogue to discern God’s voice.
Following the key presentation, we listened to different presentations and participated in group discussions: peace; justice; women and youth. We affirmed our common mission with regard to peace-building in North East Asia as we repent of our unfaithfulness on the prophetic commitment. Thus we renew ourselves towards the following resolutions:
First, we will work together in solidarity to uphold the spirit of Article 9 of the Japanese Peace constitution. Article 9 of the Peace constitution seeks peace, beyond Japan, in the entire world. For this purpose, Article 9 proclaims that Japan shall not maintain any military force. Thus the churches in Korea and Japan clearly oppose Abe’s policies that push the proposals for the collective self-defense and thus negate the spirit of Article 9. Furthermore, we ask for the immediate halt to the ongoing power struggle among the US, Japan, China and Russia which revolves around the Korean peninsula.
Second, we reaffirm the spirit expressed in the Busan Declaration on Peace in the Korean Peninsula adopted in the WCC 10th Assembly that the division and its pains are tragedy caused by the struggles of foreign powers in search of colonial expansion and military hegemony. We deeply share the pains of the long division with the North and South Koreans and work to heal them. Furthermore, as we are concerned about how the political and military tension caused by Korea's separation is acting as an excuse for military hegemony in Northeast Asia, we will firmly unite to work for realization of a peace treaty, removal of sanctions against the North and the overall peace, reconciliation and reunification in the Korean peninsula.
Third, we are deeply concerned that the controversy of the history text book based on distorted historical outlooks could bring about negative impacts to both Korea and Japan in the future. We will reflect on our past to correct the present, and in order to walk towards a peaceful future we will continue our 'struggle with memory' and work together for a just perception of our history.
Fourth, we will consolidate all our efforts to overcome the polarization that is seriously threatening human dignity created in God’s image. It is a definite violence and crime to force the weak to sacrifice for the good of the limited few. Our two churches will pray and act to overcome the fallacies of Capitalism that treats humanity as a profit driving tool, and to realize a just economic system as we follow Jesus Christ who is searching for a lost sheep.
Fifth, the recent xenophobia in Japan and constant exploitation of migrant workers in Korea has been a concern for the global society. This is one negative aspect of the exclusivism of two countries built upon the myth of a single-race nation, which is definitely a violence rooted in the exploitation of migrant workers. Following God’s creation order in which all human beings are equal, and upholding the spirit of the UN that declares discrimination as a crime, our two churches will move forward and form networks of cooperation in order to eradicate discrimination.
Sixth, we cannot but be grave about the fact that both the Japanese and Korean government fail to remember the accident of the Fukushima nuclear power plant of Tokyo Electronics. The Japanese government is restarting Sendai nuclear power plant of Kyushu Electronics while the Korean government is increasing construction of nuclear power plants. Nuclear power cannot be a safe energy source for the future as it destroys the rules of creation. We ask for both governments to immediately close down the plants in a step by step manner and preserve God's creation through the development of renewable natural resources.
Seventh, we are heavily concerned that four countries of the six party talks’ participants retain nuclear power. We demand them to eliminate the nuclear weapons and lead global denuclearization as we confront the ironic situation in which the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula is the goal of the six party talks.
Eighth, our two churches have been working together for the last 20 years regarding the Japanese military sexual slave issue. Prior to this Consultation a NCCJ representative participated in the 1200th Wednesday Demonstrations held in front of Seoul's Japanese Embassy and made a declaration for repentance and solidarity. We will continue to demand a sincere apology and compensation from the Japanese government in order to clear the history of violence against women amidst war and work towards true peace and reconciliation. Furthermore, based on the lessons of the painful history of both countries, we will work to protect the rights of women who are suffering from human trafficking and sexual violence in the North East Asian region.
Ninth, youth in both countries are hope for us all. But we witness that they are pushed to the edge with the irregular employment and extreme competition of un-bridled capitalism. As we respect the wisdom and courage of youth we will continuously support their encounter and peace leadership programs.
Tenth, in order to fulfill the above mentioned hope our two churches will strengthen mutual ecumenism and carry out the common mission task of the two churches through exchanges and solidarity, among communities of local congregations as well as among the young generation.
With those renewed mission agendas we two churches will continue our journey towards a new era of solidarity cooperation.
October 17, 2015
Participants,
The 9th Korea/Japan Joint Consultation
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