When you hear the names of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, nothing else need be said. Everyone instinctively knows that these two cities were the only ones in the world ever destroyed with nuclear weapons. And that the United States bombed them on August 6 and 9, 1945, respectively, to end the Second World War.
It was a grace to visit Tokyo and Hiroshima recently while on sabbatical in Asia, and to embrace more deeply the spirit of the Japanese people some 60 years after those terrible bombings. Two qualities of today's Japanese citizens stand out vividly: their respect for others, and their sense of discipline. True, those have been characteristics of the Japanese for long periods of history, but I think those qualities were mitigated over the years because of the military aggression undertaken by Japan against its neighbors. The atomic explosions not only destroyed two cities and countless people; those explosions ended any yearning for military domination in Asia.
Let me give you a few examples of what I mean by the spirit of respect for others and a sense of discipline. The Japanese custom of bowing repeatedly when greeting another is amazing. Japanese children learn the value of other people from their youngest years, and the sense of respect for everyone else is demonstrated through graceful bows. The more important the other person, the deeper and more respectful the bow.
And that respect for other people flows into a broader respect for all of creation-the natural environment surrounding them takes on an almost personal meaning. One day I was walking through the subway and noticed that I had an old receipt in my pocket that I no longer needed, so I started looking for a waste container to toss it into. I couldn't find a single trash container. But more remarkably, I could not find a single piece of paper lying on the wide and vast subway floors. The more I looked for the waste basket, the more intrigued I became at how clean everything was.
Emerging out onto the sidewalk, I continued my quest. No waste containers in sight, but no papers or trash on the sidewalks or streets either. Amazing. I kept thinking of my walks in downtown Los Angeles --- where you can find trash on the streets and sidewalks everywhere, even with trash containers nearby.
I finally found a trash container --- some 45 minutes later --- in front of a 7/11 store, of all places! I had walked for all that time with this crumpled up paper, and no place to toss it.
Another example of respect for the environment is the extraordinary effort to plant as many trees as possible throughout Tokyo. Every street is tree-lined. Many have flower containers as well, or beautifully kept hedges-right in the heart of a bustling city. The same is true of the freeways and roadways-shrubs planted down the median of freeways, and alongside as well. Even long stretches of climbing roses enhance your drive. And I could not find a single pothole in three days of looking. Again, in stark contrast to what we find in Southern California.
The care of the city's infrastructure flows from the people's deep respect for others and for the environment, not just from a sense of pride in the Capitol City.
The Japanese do not generally have a belief in God as we do. Rather, they have a deep respect for the Creator of themselves and of their environment. They show their appreciation, or sense of "prayer," by taking care of one another and of all that surrounds them. I saw this in the great Meiji Jingu Shrine, a Memorial to Emperor Meiji set on 173 acres. The entire area is covered by an evergreen forest of 120,000 trees of 365 different species, which were donated by people from all over Japan when the shrine was established. Planting these trees became their "prayer" of gratitude.
My own personal faith was greatly deepened at Hiroshima. The day I visited, the Peace Memorial Museum was filled with children. Why? Because on this 60th anniversary of the bombings, every child in Japan must visit either Hiroshima or Nagasaki to be reminded of two lessons: military aggression never brings peace, and the killing of innocents never resolves conflicts.
The younger children were obviously overwhelmed by the photographs, displays, and actual memorabilia that confronted them. I was most moved by a small tricycle that had been incinerated in the blast, together with a toy helmet. A father's daughter was outside playing on the tricycle when the blast occurred. She practically evaporated, very few remains. He buried her, the tricycle, and the helmet in their back yard. Twenty years ago, on the 40th anniversary, he dug up the remains of his daughter to transfer to a family plot. He had forgotten about the tricycle and helmet, and donated them to the Museum. The smallest of children stared teary-eyed at those two items so familiar to themselves. I joined them in shedding a few tears.
A few trees were left standing after the atomic blast, but tree experts said that they could not possibly survive. And then a few weeks later, small green shoots began appearing on the charcoal limbs and branches. Eventually, many trees came back to life-and instilled new life and hope in the people as well. Another example of God's creation taking care of the people through this remarkable sign.
Simple qualities: total respect for others, for one's environment, and the discipline to protect both. That spirit certainly sounds like the example and teachings of Jesus Christ. A good model for us as well in Los Angeles. -October 21, 2005
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