IIZUKA Takuya: Prayer for Peace

KNCC / WCC : "Light of Peace"  1. März - 15. August 2020
https://www.oikoumene.org/en/get-involved/light-of-peace

Prayer for peace

Rev. IIZUKA Takuya, Chair, The Committee for Peace and Reconciliation in East Asia, The National Christian Council in Japan (NCCJ)

"God who created and governs the heavens and the earth, as we pray for peace on the Korean Peninsula, we, the Japanese, confess that we have a responsibility to help make that happen.God who created and governs the heavens and the earth, as we pray for peace on the Korean Peninsula, we, the Japanese, confess that we have a responsibility to help make that happen.

In 1910, the Japanese government colonized the peninsula by forcible annexation. Since then, Japan implemented imperial policies that placed the Emperor's absolute power at its core. For 36 years, the Japanese government had persecuted, exploited, and discriminated against people of the Korea in the fields of politics, economy, culture, and religion. As a result of becoming a Japanese colony, the Peninsula got involved in the Second World War, then was divided into two countries at the end of that war. There are no “ifs” in history, but we have to ask, “What if the Korean Peninsula had not become a Japanese colony… ? ” And the answer is obvious. We, the Japanese, have a heavy responsibility to realize peace on the Peninsula.

We, the Japanese Christians, face this history and repent in front of our Lord. ...."

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