==============================LINKS =================================
http://www.safecast.org/
Radiation level information for Japan


http://kaleido11.blog111.fc2.com/blog-entry-608.html
enlgish/japanese genpatsu info
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SOKA GAKKAI DISCTRICT DISCUSSION MEETING
Today I enjoyed a wonderful local district meeting in Hachioji! We are celebrating the youth division's establishment and I supported the planning meeting for this. It was my first time helping to plan a Japanese district meeting. I also did a little "fun" activity with learning English from the gosho (based on the SGI Graph's back pages). It was a great experience and everyone applauded the efforts to make the meeting lively and fun. I enjoyed the young woman's presentation- they were "interviewing" older division members asking them to think back to their youth days asking them questions like "What was the most you ever chanted?" What is some experience that is the source of your strong practice? "What vow or experience enables you to continue to fight every day without giving up on your goals?" What is something you want to convey to the next generation (as a mother)? The responses were shortened to 2-3 minutes per person answering the question.

We had a moving experience from a WD who struggled in her youth with her family who did not support her practice, but now her 3 sons are very active and dedicated leaders in the Soka Gakkai.

Also the Soka University (in Japan) President Hideo Yamamoto came to our meeting to share some stories about what it means to be young & what it means to have a strong mentor and disciple relationship. It was very interesting and full of "behind the scenes" info about 3 episodes from Ikeda and the president's various events. The first was about Dr. Ikeda's 300th Doctorate from Boston and the president who came to Japan to give him the award. If you saw the photos, you'd know that that was a BIG dude, over 6feet tall. In Japan he was gi-normous compared to everyone else. But the thing that Yamamoto shared was that although physically he was bigger then Sensei, for some reason, he seemed like a young man and so excited about everything that he experienced while he was here. Saying "Wow" all the time at everything! Also Sensei's life was so expansive that even this large man, seemed to be embraced so warmly with Sensei's life. There was much more, but I don't recall all the details. Sorry I didn't take any notes!

Another story about Ikeda's warm heart and wisdom about how to encourage one person, was a story about a visiting professor or school president from China. This person was visiting the school for the first time, and when they welcome anyone from China, they arrange to have presentations given by the China study club students in front of the Zou Enlai Sakura planted in his memory and to commemorate the peaceful relations between Japan and China. This person was moved to tears during their talk, and shared his words of appreciation. He said in China, a person over 60 should not cry in front of others, as a sign of their experience and wisdom. But the visitor was so moved, he could not hold back his tears of happiness because his parents, who also loved Japan so much, had always spoken highly of Ikeda and Zou Enlai's meeting. Actually his parents had studied here in Japan before when they were young and that's why even though it was his first time here, he felt like he already knew this place through his parent's stories. Hearing this report from Dr. Y, Ikeda Sensei arranged (within one day) to plant a tree in honor of this visitor's parents at a community center and it was to be planted next to another Chinese professor that used to teach at a school near that center. Lo, and behold, that professor happened to be the visitor's parents' professor. And upon their return to China, they were all very close and the parents held a deep regard and special relationship with this very same professor all their lives! As the visitor shared his deep appreciation he again, for the second time that day cried in front of everyone, touched and moved by Sensei's sincerity. The visitor called his 95 year old mom in China to share the happy news and she also was moved.

Another story he conveyed about Yamamoto's recent trip to Russia where he was attending a special conference on education and cultural exchange between Russia and Japan. Only the top 20 schools were invited to join this conference, and SU is a private university so only 1 of like 3 private schools were allowed to join. He said that although SU is not rated in the top 20, it is so recognized in Russia (because of Ikeda's efforts in the past to maintain good relations with Japan and Russia) it is impossible NOT to invite Soka U to this type of conference! Dr. Ikeda had asked Dr. Yamamoto to take a letter for him to his contacts in Russia (the hosts of the conference) so he arranged a meeting before the conference started to hand them the letter, and they were overjoyed to receive it. At the end of the day, the conference organizers announced that Ikeda has sent his msg of support and hopes that the conference goes well. All the presidents of all the other schools looked at Dr. Yamamoto with envy for being recognized. Then during the course of the conference there were 4 translators, 2 Japanese and 2 Russian students who were asked individually by the other presidents, wow, your Russian (and Japanese) is really good! where did you study? And the students all replied "Soka University" and it made Dr. Y so proud that he was able to make this impression on the other school presidents. He was able to send Ikeda a very happy msg about the success of conference on many levels.

Dr. Yamamoto's stories were not to boast about the University, but to share how each moment he is able to share pride in Soka U for him, is his own personal way to report to Sensei about the progress the school is making. It's his own mentor and disciple relationship that is being refreshed each time. And it helps him take steps everyday towards repaying his dept of gratitude to his mentor.