On September 21, 2025, the “International Day of Peace Bell-Ringing Ceremony” was held at Daihonzan Gokoku-ji Temple in Tokyo, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the UN. The ceremony featured the striking of the Peace Bell at noon, with participants including legislators, religious leaders, diplomats, and peace advocates. Following the ritual, guest addresses and exchanges were held at Gekkōden Hall.
In her guest address, Motoko Mizuno explained she did not run in July’s election and now works under the guidance of Messrs. Hasegawa and Tanimoto. She served 18 years at JAXA, earned an LL.M. in international law from Leiden, and joined UN COPUOS meetings. She expressed concern that international law is increasingly ignored, and said she aims to work with Japan’s MFA to improve the situation. With Senator Shiomura, she has urged UNSC reform and Japanese leadership. She underlined the role of ICJ and ICC, both chaired by Japanese nationals, as well as civil society’s contributions, stressing Japan’s duty to show leadership. Drawing from her space experience, she concluded that “from space, Earth has no borders,” calling for a society where international law and courts function for future generations.
For the full speeches and details of the ceremony, please see here.
(Reported by Koki IMON)