Yoshie Furuhashi and I traveled to Japan during the 9-11 anniversary, where we attended seminars, actions, and meetings that questioned the direction the USA and the Asia-Pacific region appear to be going. A seminar planned by the American-Pacific Studies Center at the University of Tokyo gathered six professors from Japan, Malaysia, and Hawai’i to reflect on the meaning of 9-11 and the call to war. All spoke on the reality that war on Iraq would reflect a clash of civilizations not seen or wished for in the past.

We also went to a meeting on the Japanese-Korean relationship, to a petition drive on closing the USA military bases on Okinawa which met at the USA embassy, and to several political discussions with movement leaders. As in the USA, the Japanese justice and peace movement must confront the hysteria around the post 9-11 drive to war.

The folks we talked with were very interested in the USA peace movement and asked of the likelihood for building a strong opposition voice. As best as we could, Yoshie and I tried to give a quick appraisal of the present ability and direction of the USA movement for justice. Our new friends were reflective but also expressed admiration of the fact that people in the USA were speaking out against the war machine. Furthermore, they asked for us to keep in touch with their efforts and to pass on our work to them.

Locally, look for ongoing peace and anti-war efforts in the central Ohio. You can contact us if you know of an event happening, or if you wish to know of what is planned on our front. The Student International Forum (OSU) has a web site: www.osu.edu/students/sif or call the Community Organizing Center at 614-252-9255 for more ongoing details.

The U.S. is the only country to have used atomic weapons against another country, including innocent civilians - Japan.