On March 24th, 2025, the US Navy minesweeper Warrior entered Kobe Port for the first time without submitting a non-nuclear certificate.

March 18th was the 50th anniversary of the Non-Nuclear Kobe Policy, in which Kobe City requires foreign military vessels calling at Kobe Port to submit a "Non-Nuclear Certificate" to prove that they are not carrying nuclear weapons. French, Italian and Indian naval vessels have submitted certificates and entered Kobe Port.

It is said that Kobe’s Mayor gave permission after a discussion between Kobe and the U.S. Consul General in which the U.S. Consul General stated that US vessels are not carrying nuclear weapons. 

As a citizen of Kobe, I feel really upset that our local sovereignty was violated by the US government. Warrior should have submitted a non-nuclear certificate if they respect Kobe citizens and want to bond our relationships for the future.

I don’t want to see our policy ignored as nothing and military vessels with soldiers carrying machineguns in Kobe.

 US Navy minesweeper Warrior enters Kobe Port for the first time without submitting non-nuclear certificate -  Kobe Digital 3/24/2025

I watched a movie filmed in 2024 by Director Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Here Children Do Not PlayTogether. This is his latest work to examine the deteriorating relations between Palestine and Israel after October 7, 2023.

In the film, one Israeli man tells Makhmalbaf that the words, peace or hope, have been dead there. The words no longer have the meanings to stand for.

I was so shocked by this comment, as in one sense it sounds true, in another sense I believe we still have some power to revitalize the words.

I can still present you my poem inspired by Makhmalbaf more than 20 years ago.

Director Makhmalbaf

Is filming for the children

Dying of hunger

With a prayer that falling

Bombs change into seeds of wheat

降り注ぐ爆弾麦に変われよと

マフマルバフはカメラを回す

Hurisosogu Bakudan mugi ni Kaware yo to

Mahumarubahu wa Kamera wo mawasu

The tanka poems from "Flowers and Bombs: Stop the Violence of the War Now!" by

Kaoru Kobashi

https://hanabaku.blogspot.com/

Mohsen MAKHMALBAF

Strain your ears at night

Then you may hear a voice of

Comet Lennon singing

A song of hope and courage

"War is over if you want it"

「戦争は終わるあなたが望むなら」

レノン彗星夜空に歌う

" Senso wa Owaru anataga Nozomu nara"

Lennon suisei Yozora ni utau

The tanka poems  from "Flowers and Bombs: Stop the Violence of the War Now!" 

by Kaoru Kobashi

https://hanabaku.blogspot.com/

               Happy Xmas (War Is Over) 

 "If I must die" by Refaat Alareer

If I must die,
you must live
to tell my story
to sell my things
to buy a piece of cloth
and some strings,
(make it white with a long tail)
so that a child, somewhere in Gaza
while looking heaven in the eye
awaiting his dad who left in a blaze--
and bid no one farewell
not even to his flesh
not even to himself--
sees the kite, my kite you made,
flying up above
and thinks for a moment an angel is there
bringing back love
If I must die
let it bring hope
let it be a tale

Let it bring hope!

That's all we must do.

On October 7, 2001, the US launched airstrikes in Afghanistan in retaliation for the September 11 attacks in the United States, plunging Afghanistan into chaos that has lasted for more than 20 years. On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Israel, and in retaliation, Israel has continued attacks in Gaza that could be called genocide, and is still expanding the battlefield, plunging the Middle East into chaos.

Hear the voices from all around the world for a ceasefire and make the US stop providing Israel with weapons used in Gaza.

Gather voices of

"No War" all over the world

Tie them to balloons

Fly the balloons in the sky

Let them wrap up the White House

反戦の声風船に結びつけ

ホワイトハウスを覆ってしまえ

Hansen no koe Huusen ni Musubi tsuke

White House wo Ootte shimae

The tanka poems and drawing from "Flowers and Bombs: Stop the Violence of the War Now!" by

Kaoru Kobashi

https://hanabaku.blogspot.com/

 I have been raising money for children in Afghanistan and Iraq for 20 years through my tanka poems and charity events. Twenty years ago today, I made the first donation, and today I made the 21st donation. What I do can't change the world, but I hope it has given and will give some strength to children suffering a lot because of the violence of the war.

Director Makhmalbaf

Is filming for the children

Dying of hunger

With a prayer that falling

Bombs change into seeds of wheat

降り注ぐ爆弾麦に変われよと

マフマルバフはカメラを回す

Hurisosogu Bakudan mugi ni Kaware yo to

Mahumarubahu wa Kamera wo mawasu

The first edition of Flowers and Bombs

WAR! WAR! WAR!

The USA is roaring 

In a tempestuous rage

Just like a wounded lion 

Searching for the enemies

WAR! WAR! WAR!　手負いの獅子かアメリカは

敵を探して荒ぶり叫ぶ

WAR! WAR! WAR! Teoi no shishi ka America wa

Teki wo sagashi te Araburi sakebu

The tanka poem is about the USA after the attack of 911 in 2001. I was so scared where its rage would lead the world. See what have happened and are happening even now all around the world. I have been asking by tanka poems since 2001. 

Why can't we stop killing people in the name of war?

Kaoru Kobashi

https://hanabaku.blogspot.com/