首相・閣僚による靖国神社公式参拝中止要請のこと（日本語／英語）

真宗教団連合は、昭和４４（１９６９）年の結成より終始一貫して、首相及び閣僚が靖国神社を参拝されることに対して、抗議や中止の要請を行ってまいりました。

申すまでもなく靖国神社は、国難に殉じた戦没者を英霊として顕彰し、祀る神社として創設され、先の大戦まで戦争遂行の精神的支柱として国家神道体制の中心的な役割を担ってきたことは歴史的事実であります。同時に、戦争で犠牲になられた方を特定の基準で選別し、故人の宗教や遺族の意志に関わらず、強制的に「神」として合祀する極めて特異な一宗教施設であります。
　歴史的に見ても、合祀のあり方からも、靖国神社が今なお「我が国における戦没者追悼の中心的施設である」という主張には無理があります。

先の大戦の反省に立ち、国際平和を誠実に希求し、基本的人権の尊重を謳った日本国憲法では、個人の信教の自由を保障するとともに、政教分離の原則を明確に打ち立て、国家に対し宗教的中立性を要求し、特定の宗教と国家とが直接結びつくことを禁止しております。
　国家を代表する首相及び閣僚が公式参拝されることは、憲法に定められた「信教の自由」「政教分離」の精神に背く行為であることは明確であり、決して容認できることではありません。

釈尊は、仏法に教え導かれるところ「国豊民安こくぶみんあん　兵戈無用ひょうがむよう」（国は豊かになり人びとは平穏に暮し、武器をとって争うこともなくなる）と説かれ、浄土真宗の宗祖親鸞聖人は「世のなか安穏なれ　仏法ひろまれ」と願われました。
　しかし、私たち真宗教団は、その教えに背き、計り知れない惨禍を与えた戦争に加担してきました。今、あらためて過去の過ちを深く懺悔するとともに、仏教者として、敵味方の区別なく、すべての戦争犠牲者の声を仏の願いとして聞き、それに報いるために、有縁の方々とともに追悼法要などを通して非戦平和に向けた取り組みを進めております。

今日まで日本は現憲法の「戦争放棄」のもと、恒久的な平和の実現を求めてきました。貴職及び閣僚におかれましては、あらためて現憲法立憲の精神に照らし、靖国神社公式参拝のもつ問題性を十分に認識され、公式参拝を行わないよう切に要請いたしますとともに、今後とも世界平和に向けた取り組みを進められますよう要望いたします。

令和元（２０１９）年８月５日

内閣総理大臣
安倍　晋三　殿

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

STATEMENT CALLING FOR
SUSPENSION OF THE OFFICIAL VISIT TO YASUKUNI SHRINE
BY THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET MEMBERS

Since its foundation in 1969, the Federation of Shinshu Buddhism has unwaveringly protested against the Prime Ministers’ and cabinet members’ official visit to Yasukuni Shrine.

There is no need to repeat the historical fact that Yasukuni Shrine was established to commemorate those who lost their lives for the nation and honor them as war heroes. It also served as the spiritual center of State Shinto for Japan to carry out a number of wars until the end of World War II. At the same time, Yasukuni is significant in that it is a religious place where war victims are differentiated according to a specific standard and enshrined as “gods” without regard to the will of the deceased as well as their family members.

Considering its history and Japan’s way of honoring soldiers and war heroes, we cannot support the claim that Yasukuni Shrine is the nation’s central religious institution for remembering war victims.

Written in reflection of the tragic results brought about by World War II, the Constitution of Japan declares earnest quest for world peace as well as respect for basic human rights. On this theory, the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion to each individual and advocates the principle of separation of religion and State by calling for religious neutrality and prohibiting collusion between the government and any religious institution. Public visits of state representatives, such as the Prime Minister and cabinet members, to a specific religious institution is undoubtedly a constitutional violation and against the basic principles of religious freedom and the separation of religion and State. It should therefore not be allowed.

Sakyamuni Buddha stated in a sutra, “When the Buddha Dharma prevails, the land is prosperous and the people live in peace, so there is no need to use soldiers and weapons.” In addition, Shinran Shonin, the founder of Jodo Shinshu Buddhism, expresses his aspiration in his letter to his disciples, “May there be peace in the world, and may the Buddha’s teaching spread!”

However, against these teachers’ noble aspirations, as a Shinshu Buddhist organization, we committed a grave mistake by taking part in the movement of promoting wars that consequently brought tremendous sufferings to many people. With deep reflection on this past mistake, as Buddhists, without regard to friend or foe, we have come to understand the hope of those who lost their lives in war as the wish of the Buddha, and therefore are engaged in a variety of activities, such as memorial services for war victims in the name of peace and renunciation of war.

Until today, Japan has been seeking for eternal peace with the aspiration proclaimed in the current Constitution, "renunciation of war." We sincerely hope that the Prime Minister and his cabinet members will deeply reflect on what the Constitution tries to express and discontinue official visits to Yasukuni Shrine, being aware of why this is a problem. We acknowledge your engagement in peace promoting activities elsewhere and support your continued efforts in those aspects.

August 5, 2019