The following article appeared in the Mainichi Shinbun on July 3rd and is interesting enough that a full English translation is provided here.

JAPAN IS THE IDEAL COUNTRY TO REALIZE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
By Yasuo Shikata
Mayor of Ayabe City, Kyoto

In the summer of last year, the city of Ayabe, which was declared to be the first world federal city, invited children from Israel and Palestine to Japan with the slogan “Pour one drop of water into a large river—it is time to realize peace in the Middle East.” Those children were orphans (14-18 years old) whose father or relatives had died in bombings or because of terrorism in the battle between Israel and Palestine. The city of Ayabe invited seven children from each group to their city, the city of Kyoto, and the city of Tokyo.

We hoped, through this project, children would get to know each other and pledge peace, although they were now separated by complex hatreds. The project was supported by the Israeli Embassy, the representatives of Palestine, and ordinary citizens. Above all we’d like to thank many citizens for having agreed with the concept of the project and who supported us.

When the children visited the Kantei, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi raised their spirits with his warm and strong encouragement: “Only fools despair. Be brave!”

The project lasted only a week, but those Israeli children and Palestinian children left with hopeful messages that make us believe in the possibility of peace of the region. The following episode is an example:

An Israeli girl made a short speech to a large audience of Ayabe citizens waving flags of both Israel and Palestine. She said: “I have to serve in the army when I go back to my county. However, there is no winner in a war. It only brings both sides a great loss and many deaths. I want you to remember there are also people who hope for peace.”

All the children left Japan and arrived at the airport of Tel Aviv, an area controlled by Israel. Naturally, the Israeli children took only a short time to finish their baggage inspection, while the Palestinian children took as long as three hours. Nevertheless, the Israeli children waited those three hours for the Palestinian kids to finish their baggage inspection. They shook hands with the Palestinian children and went to the gate where their families were waiting for them.

A Palestinian girl’s mother, who always wore a white veil, made a phone call to the project team. She said: “My daughter stopped talking and smiling after her father was killed. I got an invitation from Ayabe when I was thinking about what I could do for her. I took a chance and let her join the project but I was worried. It turned out there was no need to be worried. When she came back from Japan, she talked with excitement about staying with a Japanese family together with Israeli kids, and about nice people in Japan. Now she looks cheerful as if she were a different person.” She talked on the phone, trying not to weep.

We can tell from these episodes that both Israel and Palestine feel Japan is a friend which they can trust deeply. Children from both countries go to the same school in Japan. Every Israeli and Palestinian I’ve met said that “Japan is the most ideal country as a stage for the realization of peace in the Middle East.”

Right now, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura are starting to work on specific issues like the increase of ODA to Palestine, the realization of the Chairman Abbas’ visit to Japan, and inviting Prime Minister Sharon to Japan. If Japan helps to realize peace in the Middle East, that clearly shows Japan’s view as a pacifist nation and could be an answer to people who are worrying about the future of Japan.

In my opinion, we should not leave nation’s principles to only the government, and the grass-roots, including local autonomous bodies, have to make them stand. The project of Ayabe was taken over by the city of Okayama last year. This summer, one event will be held in the city of Tokushima, where children from Israel and Palestine are supposed to join in one circle of the Awa dance.