Asian Churches Participate in Campaign Against Revision of Article 9 of Japan’s Constitution

Programme Review and Programme Direction

Two key deliberative sessions during the 15th CCA General Assembly are the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions.

The Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions will both be conducted in three groups relating to the CCA’s programme areas, namely, (i) General Secretariat (GS), (ii) Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF); and (iii) Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia (PD).

Assembly participants will have the option to join one of three groups for both the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions. For the sake of coherence, the assigned group will remain the same for both sessions.

General Secretariat

The General Secretariat oversees the coordination of programmatic, administrative, and financial activities of the organization. The GS comprises various departments such as church and ecumenical relations, relations with ecumenical partners, finance, administration, and communications, which provide crucial support and services for the implementation of programs and contribute to the overall functioning of the CCA.

Programmes: Relations with member churches and councils, ecumenical partners; advocacy at the United Nations; ecumenical responses to emerging issues in solidarity; income development and finance; and communications.

Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)

Under the MU programme area, the CCA accompanies Asian churches to strengthen their mission and witness in multi-religious contexts, revitalise and nurture church unity and the Asian ecumenical movement, and develop contextual theological foundations.

Programmes: Asian Movement for Christian Unity (AMCU); Congress of Asian Theologians (CATS); Asian women doing theology in the context of wider ecumenism; contextualisation of theology in Asia and ecumenical theological education.

The EF programme area focuses on nurturing and developing ecumenical leaders in Asia. The programme aims to enhance spiritual formation and theological understanding, enabling people to actively engage in ecumenical dialogue and collaboration.

Programmes: Ecumenical Enablers’ Training in Asia (EETA); Asian Ecumenical Institute (AEI); Youth and Women Leadership Development; Ecumenical Spirituality and Nurturing of Contextual Liturgical Traditions; Asia Sunday

Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)

The BP programme area is dedicated to promoting peace, justice, and reconciliation in Asia’s diverse contexts. Through training, advocacy, and dialogue, the programme addresses the root causes of conflicts, empowers communities, and fosters sustainable peacebuilding initiatives.

Programmes: Pastoral Solidarity Visits; Churches in Action for Moving Beyond Conflict and Resolution; Young Ambassadors of Peace in Asia (YAPA); Ecumenical Women’s Action Against Violence (EWAAV); Eco-Justice for Sustainable Peace in the Oikos.

The PD programme area focuses on promoting justice, human rights, and social transformation in Asia. Through advocacy, capacity-building, and raising awareness, the programme addresses systemic injustice, empowers marginalised communities, and advocates for prophetic actions and meaningful change.

Programmes: Human Rights advocacy; Migration, Statelessness, and Trafficking in Persons; Asian Ecumenical Disability Advocacy Network; Asian Advocacy Network on the Dignity and Rights of Children (AANDRoC); Ecumenical Solidarity Accompaniment and Diakonia in Asia (ESADA); Health and Healing; Good Governance; Action Together to Combat HIV and AIDS in Asia (ATCHAA).

First Preference:
Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)
Second Preference:
Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)
13 June 2016

[caption id="attachment_1769" align="aligncenter" width="800"]13428502_1086497321399622_1975837410601112274_n CCA's General Secretary joined others during Peace March in Osaka, Japan[/caption]

Representatives of several Asian churches gathered for the fifth inter-religious conference to oppose the Japanese government’s attempts to revise Article 9 of Japan’s peace Constitution. Japan adopted its war-renouncing constitution following World War II, with Article 9 as a promise to itself and a pledge to the world, particularly neighboring countries that suffered under Japanese invasions and colonial rule, to never repeat its mistakes.

About 120 participants attended the global event held at the Mimami Mido Buddhist Temple in Osaka, Japan from 7-9 June, 2016.

In a communique adopted at the end of the conference the participants expressed concerns that, “ Revising Article 9 of Japan’s historic peace Constitution will bring about serious instability in Asia region as it opens the door for Japanese militarism. The move by the current Japanese administration and the interpretation of the Constitution is a threat to constitutional guarantees and democratic governance in Japan”.

The communique stated the hope of the participants that, “Japan should never be a threat or destabilizing factor to neighboring countries nor become a destabilizing factor”.

It further added that “ the Abe administration should look honestly at Japan’s history of invasion, colonization, and militarism in the  modern era and make a clear apology to the world”.

Prof. Tetsuya Takahashi of University of Tokyo stated in a keynote presentation that, “Article 9 continues to inspire peace loving people and communities throughout the world. However, the contradiction between Article 9 and the US military presence, in particular deepening military alliance between U.S and  Japan is a serious concern. What shapes Japan today is not Article 9, but the US-Japan Security Treaty”.

“In a context like in Okinawa, U.S Japan security treaty is more visible and 75% of US bases in Japan are concentrated on this small main island, many in close proximity to heavily populated cities. In Okinawa, the Article 9  is being violated every day as peace and security of people are being threatened”, Prof. Takahashi added.

The General Secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) Dr. Mathews George Chunakrara in a presentation said that “ the most recent developments with regard to changes in strategic and defense polices of Japanese and U.S government aimed at reciprocal procurement of arms and defense equipment, which will eventually lead to increasing role of Japan’s militarism”.

He added that, “one of the major problems in relation to change of Article 9 would be a matter of concern of perpetual support to the US military by the Japanese Self Defense Force (SDF)”.  

The Coordinator of the Fifth Global Inter-religious Conference,  Yoichi Noguchi said, “The  global conference organised  by various Japanese organisations  took place at a time when Article 9 faces the most serious threat of being abandoned since the post-war constitution of Japan  was enacted in 1947".

In his introductory  remarks, Rev. Kobashi Kouichi, Moderator of the National Christian Council of Japan stated, “At a time when peace in the world is seriously in crisis, the responsibility of people  belong to different faiths is to turn  the crisis towards peace”.   

The fifth global conference concluded with a colorful peace march organised by the local host committee in which hundreds of peace activists, religious leaders and representatives of civil society organisations across the world marched on the streets of Osaka.

The CCA member churches and ecumenical councils participated in the conference include, the Anglican Church of Japan, United Church of Christ in Japan, Korean Christian Church in Japan, National Christian Council in Japan, Hong Kong Christian Council, Presbyterian Church in Korea, Presbyterian Church in Republic of Korea, Anglican Church in Korea, Korean Methodist Church, and National Council of Churches in Korea.