New Year Thoughts for 2004

Establishing Practical Concordance - Worrying Situation in the World Today

In my opinion the war on Iraq was an injustice. First of all, Iraq itself did not attack another country. Secondly, Iraq did not represent a real trouble spot (as it did not possess any weapons of mass destruction). Thirdly , the sovereignty of each state can be restricted but no state can be deprived of it. Fourthly, the elimination of a dictator is the affair of a state itself, even if foreign powers are allowed to assist.

Seen from this point of view the current situation in the world today is extremely worrying. The deeper cause for this situation lies in an absolutistic, one-dimensional way of thinking which presumes to pass judgement over right and wrong and brand people of a different opinion as those who are unjust.

In order to be able to improve the current unhappy situation in our world it is necessary that one (in this case first of all each state, but in the final case every human being) restricts or gives up absolutistic, one-dimensional ways of thinking, and acknowledges pluralism in culture and religion, and strives towards allowing persons of a different opinion, in particular persons of a different faith, to live in harmony with one another. This means it is necessary to try to establish practical concordance among the different points of view.

Professor Dr. h.c. Hsiao Kuriki, Specialist for International Law, Nanzan University, Tokyo