Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi's Message at The National Foundation Day Celebration
"International Peace by Faith Movement" is A Process to Realize Japan's Ideal
The National Foundation Day Celebration was held on February 11 at the Seicho-No-Ie Headquarters. Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi, Acting President of Seicho-No-Ie, addressed 372 attendees for 21 minutes in his capacity as the Superintendent.
Rev. Taniguchi began by pointing out that although the National Foundation Day must be celebrated by all the Japanese, not so many people do so. There has been a debate about whether Emperor Jimmu was the real founder or the choice of February 11 as the founding date are based on historical facts. Rev. Taniguchi emphasized that what is more important are the founder’s thoughts and ideal behind the founding of the country. He stressed that we must have a firm understanding of Japan’s founding spirit and pass it on to our offspring for generations to come.
Rev. Taniguchi next touched upon the word, Hakkoiu (the whole world comes to live under one roof), which was used in World War II to justify control of other peoples. In the Nihon Shoki (The Chronicles of Japan) it is written that when Emperor Jimmu fought against Nagasunehiko, as Emperor Jimmu advanced his troop with the sun, or a symbol of God’s will, on his back, a shining kite flew down from the sky in the end and he won without fighting. Rev. Taniguchi noted that the story denies the conquering by force.
Rev. Taniguchi next introduced, from the Nihon Shoki, Book 3, the Imperial edict issued on the transfer of the capital to Kashihara by Emperor Jimmu. It consists of the first section which says that it is the Emperor’s task to spread God’ will to the citizens, and the latter section which says that things will work out smoothly if the political unification of neighboring countries is carried out after that. In the past, Japan advanced its military forces, rather than spread its ideal, which created a somewhat unreasonable complication.
Rev. Taniguchi taught that as Seicho-No-Ie promotes the Movement to realize God’s will, we should, first of all, practice Shinsokan, listen to God’s will and disseminate His will and thereafter work to realize world peace politically and internationally. He stressed that in that sense, the International Peace by Faith Movement is a process to realize Japan’s ideal.
At the conclusion of his address, Rev. Taniguchi referred to the call of President Obama of the U.S.A. to return to the founding ideal and unite. Rev. Taniguchi made a point that Japan should also return to the founding ideal once more, understand it and advance. He called upon the attendees to read Nihon Shoki and other books, pass on the ideal of Japan’s founding to their offspring, inform them that Seicho-No-Ie is promoting the movement along that ideal, and carry forward the Movement with confidence.