Ten Thousand Things
Multicultural Webfinds

"Ten Thousand Things" is a Buddhist expression representing the dynamic interconnection and simultaneous unity and diversity of everything in the universe.

"LOVE, PEACE, & LIFE" – Japan as No. 9 –
The Sloth Club Japan says "Make Slow Love, Not Fast War"

The Sloth Club Japan, (the Namakemono Club), operators of the perfect, organic, fair trade, and slow lifestyle concept CAFE SLOW in Tokyo, puts up three fingers for the number "9":

In the 1970’s and 80’s there was the expression "Japan as number one". It referred to Japan as a world leader from an economical viewpoint. Japan experienced massive economic growth. But in the process of such rapid economic growth, we believe many important things were lost. Today we face many problems, not the least, the deterioration of our environment. However we still have something special we can share with the world chapter of our Constitution.

In the Constitution of Japan, there is one chapter that clearly states a "RENUNCIATION OF WAR":

Chapter II Article 9

1)Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes.

2) In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.


On December 9 2003, the Japanese government decided to send Self-Defense Forces troops to Iraq. The Sloth Club Japan is strongly opposed to this decision and we want to remind our leaders about Chapter II Article 9 in the Constitution of Japan. Sending SDF to Iraq lends little as far as military power to the conflict. It also means that Japan is only going help add to the further cycle of violence. The people in Iraq do not want more troops, or more violence. Sending more troops will only disturb the impartial humanitarian support offered by the UN and global NGOs - creating more victims both directly and indirectly.

We state that the Japanese government's decision completely neglects our constitution.

The Sloth Club Japan (Namakemono Club) raises three fingers (Love, Peace and Life) for the number "9".

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