KYOTO -- India's ambassador to Japan on Sunday contributed a weapon for inclusion in a peace monument in Okinawa Prefecture.
Ambassador Aftab Seth handed a used AK-47 rifle to Okinawan musician Shokichi Kina in Chion-in Temple here to cooperate in Kina's efforts to create the monument.
Kina formed in February a nonprofit group called the "All Weapons into Musical Instruments" PeaceMakers Network. He is calling on world leaders to donate metal weapons to be melted down and turned into a monument symbolizing peace.
Praising India's action as the first nation to respond to the group's call, Kina said this was the first step toward peace.
"I hope other nations will follow suit," Kina said at a news conference. "We also want to build a network of people and groups working toward creating peace."
Kina has been involved in other peace movements, but says that merely demanding the abolition of war does not solve the problem. He has decided to take specific action for his dream of gathering all the weapons in the world. He is also calling for turning military bases into flower gardens.
In February, Kina was invited by the Indian government to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Japan and India. At that time, Kina explained his group's activities and asked the Indian government for cooperation.