Japanese Activists Visit

Further to the visit by Margaret and Brendan to Japan last year, two Japanese
activists arrived in Melbourne on Thursday, August 22nd to study the
Australian environmental movement and to take part in a four day nonviolence
workshop on the principles, theory and dynamics of nonviolent action held by
the Melbourne nonviolence workshops collective.  The two are Shigeko and
Chiaki Mikuni, two environmental activists from Kanazawa in the North West of
Japan.  Chiaki is the Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Kanazawa
University and teaches aspects of Penan and nonviolence philosophy to his
students.  Shigeko is a kindergarten teacher.  Both Shigeko and Chiaki are
heavily involved in the campaign to reduce the Japanese involvement in the
destrucation of South East Asia's rainforests primarily through the wasteful
consumption of tropical timbers in Japan.  The group they work with in this
campaign is Kanazawa Friends of the Earth.  Both are very motivated and
energetic activists and are particularly effective networkers.

During their seven day visit the activists participated in a variety of
activities including meetings with the Victorian Koori community, waterside
workers, building workers, and visits to Melbourne's Friends of the Earth
cooperative and a property west of Geelong to see Australian wildlife.  The
activists also took part in this year's War Tax Resistance action at the
Australian Taxation Office on Wednesday 28th August.

The focus of the visit was the nonviolent workshop held at the nonviolent
community "Common Ground" up in Seymour north of Melbourne.  As the workshop
was for four days it allowed more comprehensive discussion and examination of
a range of issues concerning nonviolence than would have been possible in a
weekend workshop.  Some areas covered in the workshop included personal roots
of nonviolence, blockages to action and activism, conflict and nonviolence
theory, teaching skills and group process.  A highlight of the workshop was a
tour of Common Ground with two members of the community.  The wildlife living
in and around the community was also very beautiful.

The Japanese flew out on the evening of Thursday, 29 August and I feel that
they thoroughly enjoyed their trip here and learnt much about grass roots
environmental activism and the power of nonviolent action.
Brendan Condon