Blessed are the Peacemakers

Annual Report April 2009 - March 2010

Copyright ©2010 YWCA of Japan

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New President’s Message

Hold to the Grapevine and Produce Abundant Fruit

The 30th National Council was held in November 2009 with the theme

“Women Creating a Safe World“ which reflects the theme of up-coming

World YWCA Council 2011.

YWCA is a movement of solidarity of women across the country and around

the world –-which is just like a grapevine. Small pieces of grapes gather and

make a bunch. 26 local YWCAs, 35 Junior and Senior High School YWCAs,

and other associated member organizations create the grape bunch of the YWCA of Japan.

I think it is also true in the world that there are many varieties of YWCA grape bunches in all part

of the world. By the way , grapev ine is grown on trellis in vineyard. A v ine spreads like the

horizon and produces bunch of grapes at the height of trellis . The relationship of each bunch is

not vertical, in other words not in hierarchy , but rather horizontal. It seems to be just reflecting

YWCAs’ relationship to one another.

Reflecting the theme “Women Creating a Safe World“, we seek to create a world without

violence and the world where life is cherished, and work to unite individuals, nations, adults

and children, women and men, and all people who are making this society . We endeavour to

create a society where the weak is accepted.

Where does YWCA root and what is its core? As the Bible says “I am the vine, you are the

branches. The one who abides in me while I abide in him produces much fruit, because apart

from me you can do nothing” (John15:5), we can produce much fruit in our activities through

Christ Jesus.

With the new National Board members elected at the 30th National Council and with s isters

of local YWCAs, communities, and around the world, I am excited at the vision of producing its

unique fruit on the trellis of the YWCA of Japan.

Naoko Matano

President, YWCA of Japan

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Table of Contents

1. President’s Message …p2

2. YWCA of Japan –Profile …p3

3. Vision 2015 of the YWCA of Japan …p4

4. The 30th National Council …p4

5. Program Overview …p5

6. Community Services and Activities by Local Associations …p7

7. Contributions …p8

8. Board Members and Staff …p8

1. YWCA of Japan –Profile

Local Associations…………26 Members…………2,752

Associate Members…………491 Jr./Sr. High School YWCAs…………35

Members…………510 Program Beneficiaries…………64,194 Friends of YWCA of Japan…………702

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2. Vision 2015 of the YWCA of Japan The YWCA of Japan launched “V ision 2015 of the YWCA of Japan” at the 29th National Council

in November 2006, which consists of the following six movement priorities for the next 9 years.

Our goal is to achieve peace in society through non-v iolent and non-nuclear strategies and

with women’s leadership. Details of the movement priorities are available on “Annual Report

2006-2007, 2007-2008”.

http://www.ywca.or.jp/english/report.html

Six Priorities: 1. Develop peace in society without nuclear technology and without violence.

2. Retain Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution that renounces war and possession of

military forces, and expand globally the principle of the article.

3. Peacemaking in Northeast Asia through civil network and solidarity .

4. Protect women and children’s rights

5. Support and work in solidarity with the YWCA of Palestine for peace in the region.

6. Develop young women’s leadership

3. The 30th National Council The Extraordinary National Council and the 30th

National Council of the YWCA of Japan were held

from November 21st to 23rd in Tokyo. Around 200

members including observers got together.

Guests from YWCA of Korea were invited to

participate in discussion for a bilateral youth

program as well as to witness YWCA of Japan’s

adoption of a statement of apology for not

hav ing protested against the Japanese

aggression and colonial rule in the neighbouring Asian countries during World War II.

The statement is available in Korean, Chinese, English, and Japanese.

www.ywca.or.jp/english/topnews.html

Reconfirmed:

Resolutions and Recommendations adopted at 2007 World YWCA Council (see World

YWCA resource www.worldywca.org/)

Priorities of the YWCA of Japan (see pg.4)

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Adopted:

Revised Constitution of the YWCA of Japan

Statement of accounts of the 29th Council year

The Apology for the Asia-Pacific War and the Resolution for Commitment to World

Peace

Theme of the 30th Council Year: “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9)

Mission: “Learn from Jesus Christ and realize the world where people live together.” “In

collaboration with people around the world, work to improve human rights, environment,

and bring peace in our lives”

V ision 2015 (see page 4)

Program plan and draft budget for the 30th Council year

Plan for the new national law of public foundation

4. Program Overview

■ Key Programs

Pilgrimage to Hiroshima About program history, outline, and the purpose, see “Annual Report 2007-2008”.

Having 40 years of history , Pilgrimage to Hiroshima

this year re-focused on its spirit and highlighted the

theme of anti-nuclear power and radiation in a context

of global community . The theme was “HIBAKUSHA

(irradiated victims) -from Hiroshima to the World

HIBAKUSHA” to raise awareness of the danger that

violates human rights. Fatal destruction was not only

caused by A-Bombs such as the ones dropped on

Hiroshima and Nagasaki but by many ways –--from uranium mining to nuclear power plant, to

disposal of radioactive waste, or to depleted uranium weapons, etc…

Mr.Steven Leeper, chair of the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, was invited for key note

speech and shared with us his vital activities for nuclear abolition around the world and his idea of

how civil society can change the nuclear world by sending our voices to the global politics such as

through the Review Conference of the NPT. He initiated Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-Bomb Exhibition in

the U.S. in 2007-2008.

Participants—from teenagers to seniors— visited Peace Memorial Museum to have historical

idea, lis tened to witness talked by A-Bomb survivors to understand the war from human

perspective, went out to field trips to explore and to experience the fact, and then enjoyed a

workshop “The World HIBAKUSHA” which was designed for all participant to share. To lis t a

few, we learned that people were made Hibakusha in the following areas around the world, and

yet the number of Hibakusha is still increasing unless we educate ourselves to understand its

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danger and say “NO” to its use.

Nuclear Weapons…Hiroshima, Nagasaki (JAPAN) Nuclear test sites…Nevada(USA), Bikini(Marshal Islands)

Semipalatinsk(Kazakhstan,former USSR) Nuclear Power Plant Accident…Chernobyl

(Ukraine, former USSR) Depleted Uranium (DU) bomb…Iraq Uranium mining site…Jadugoda(India) Radioactive Waste disposal site…La Hague(France)

Furthermore, there was an optional program to go on field trip to Iwakuni, a neighbor city of

Hiroshima, where the presence of U.S. military forces has been creating controversy in the area.

The Iwakuni report is available www.ywca.or.jp/english/topnews.html

■ Youth

Junior and Senior High School YWCAs 35 Christian secondary schools are the member of the YWCA of Japan.

Summer Conference

The annual Summer Conference was held

in 3 areas this year again, with 3 different

themes. In the northern area, students

gathered under the theme of “Peace” and

invited members from Sapporo YWCA, a

local YWCA in Japan, to lead the workshop

“World Without Nukes @ Article 9” which we

first introduced at the Global Article 9

Conference to Abolish War back in 2007.

Detail of the Global Article 9 Conference is available on “Annual Report 2007-2008” .

http://www.ywca.or.jp/english/report.html Conference in Kanto (Tokyo) area had a theme “Create a

peace-garrison ~Trace the history from the ruins of the war~” and

made a field trip to the Chiba peninsula just across the Tokyo Bay ,

where it was a key area for both Japan and the U.S. military during the

WW II. And Kansai (Osaka) area focused on communication skills in

the conference with a theme “Do for others”. 50 to 100 students gathered at each conference.

Annual Council and Training for Teachers

A good learning and sharing opportunity for the advisory teachers of the Junior and Senior

High School YWCAs is also held annually . This year, teachers gathered for a council and

training in Chikuho, in Kyushu area, where coal mining industry used to prosper at the sacrifice

of hundreds and thousands of people from Korea and China enforced to come for heavy labour

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during the time of the history .

The theme was “Cultural diversity education now in Christian school”. “Without knowing the

negative history of Japan’s aggression over others, how can we conduct cultural diversity

education?” said the pastor who guided the field trip, and the advisory teachers were deeply

moved.

■ Global Arena

YWCA of Japan enjoys the World network by participating in some international programs.

Members build skills , knowledge, and solidarity with YWCA sisters around the world, and share

their experiences with other members on return from the programs. This circle of sharing

experiences is working positively in the association to v italize our YWCA. YWCA of Japan sent

members to the following programs in 2009. For the program details, contact World YWCA

www.worldywca.org/

Asia and Pacific Regional Training Institute (RTI) , Bali/Indonesia Palestine Witness Visit, West bank/Palestine

5. Community Services and Activities by Local YWCAs

Local Associations in Japan provide services to meet the needs of women, children, youth, and elderly people in communities.

＜Main community services of YWCAs in Japan＞

Courses and classes: peacemaking, Bible study , foreign

languages, volunteer works, environmental issues

Health and physical education and programs, including day

care services, counselling

Outdoor education and camps

Peer educator programs for youth

Support group and activity for/with; foreign nationals,

international students, people with disabilities, survivors of

domestic violence, people living with HIV & AIDS

Photo from the top:

Kids’ bazaar, Okinawa peace action,

High school council, Article 9 action

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6 Contributions (in JPY)

Asia and Pacific

area natural

disaster

Haiti Earthquake

Resource Sharing

Program (power

to change)

456,134 1,301,574 752,118

Gaza Relief

Palestine

Support Fund

(incl. Ramallah

flood)

Olive Tree

Campaign

921,702 271,505 696,296

7. Board Members and Staff

*Board Members ( up to Nov 2009)

President: May ako ISHII, Vice-President: Naoko MATANO, Ritsuko MIBAE, Treasurer: Kimiko TERASHIMA, Secretary: Noriko ARAKI, Member: Reiko FUJIWARA, Yuriko FUKUSHIMA, Mikiko IKEGAMI, Mie KATSU, Rei MANNEN, Hiroko MATSUURA, Masako MITSUMATA, Ayako NISHI, Ky oko TAWARA, Yumiko YOKOYAMA *New Board Members ( from Nov 2009)

President: Naoko MATANO, Vice-President: Ritsuko MIBAE, Chie YOSHIIMURA Secretary: Chikage TEJIMA, Member: Noriko ARAKI, Yuriko FUKUSHIMA, Satoko FUJITANI, Sayaka HIGUCHI, Yumiko IMAJI, Rieko KAMIYA, Mariko KIMURA, Rei MANNEN, Ay ako OHNO, Midori SUGIMURA, Junko TERASHIMA, Yumiko YOKOYAMA

General Secretary: Kuniy o KAWABATA ( up to April 2010) *succeeded to Mikako NISHIHARA

Staff: Mikako NISHIHARA (Adv ocacy/ Administration and management, *GS from April 2010), Reiko KABURAKI & Reiko Hamada (Finance & Accounting), Izuho HAGIO(Communications & Netw orking / Advocacy ), Tomoko NEGISHI (International Affairs/Adv ocacy), Hiroko NITTA (Administration and management), Chiko OGAWA(w eb and fundraising)

YWCA of Japan Annual Report 2009

Copyright © 2010 by YWCA of Japan All Rights Reserved