On September 21, 2025, the “International Day of Peace Bell-Ringing Ceremony” was solemnly held at Daihonzan Gokoku-ji Temple in Tokyo. The event, held annually on the UN-designated International Day of Peace, carried particular significance this year as it marked the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. The ceremony brought together Diet members, the Governor of Tokyo, former parliamentarians, representatives of the International Day of Peace Japan Committee, religious leaders, and ambassadors and diplomats from around the world.
The ceremony began with a Buddhist service at the main hall, offering prayers for the victims of war and for lasting peace. This was followed by words from the temple’s abbot, and precisely at noon, representatives rang the great Peace Bell, its sound reverberating through the temple grounds as a symbolic call for a world free of conflict.
After the bell ringing, attendees moved to Gekkōden Hall, a nationally designated Important Cultural Property, where a moment of silence was observed, followed by guest addresses. Among the speakers were Sukehiro Hasegawa, Chair of the International Day of Peace Japan Committee, Governor Yuriko Koike of Tokyo, Senator Ayaka Shiomura, and former Senator Motoko Mizuno. Each shared perspectives on today’s pressing international challenges, the importance of pursuing peace, and the responsibility to pass on a more secure world to future generations, drawing strong resonance from the audience.
This year’s ceremony, commemorating the UN’s 80th anniversary, held special significance as a reminder of the enduring value of peace. The sound of the bell at Gokoku-ji symbolized Japan’s prayer for peace echoing to the world.
For the full speeches and details of the ceremony, please see here.
(Reported by Koki IMON)