Tokyo, Japan - Welcoming H.E. Pengiran Yusuf, the first Prime Minister and the founding father of the State of Brunei, known as Brunei Darussalam, to Tokyo, the “La vie en Rose,” an association founded by the women who love Brunei, held their first regular meeting on April 11 on the theme “Brunei Night” and nearly 100 people attended. The event was co-hosted by UPF-Japan and Brunei Darussalam Culture Exchange Association in Tokyo, and sponsored by the Embassy of Brunei Darussalam in Japan.

H.E. Pengiran Yusuf became a victim and survivor of the atomic bomb in 1945, when he was studying at the Hiroshima University as one of the Special Foreign Students from South East Asia. His visit to Japan this time was to celebrate the publication of a Japanese edition of his book “A-Bomb,” a book written in Malay about his experience of the bomb. The book was translated by Madam Noriko Hashimoto, Secretary General of “La vie en Rose”.

After Madam Haruko Fujii, Head of “La vie en Rose,” offered a word of welcome, Mr. Shigenari Kato, Secretary General of UPF Peace Diplomats Forum, gave a greeting message. Pointing out that the word darussalam means the “abode of peace” in Malay, Mr. Kato stated that the ideal of “One Family under God” proposed by the UPF is an ideal that aims to seek humanity’s “house of peace.” He concluded by urging the participants to become the owners of the vision to build ‘One Family under God’ and to bring this vision to Brunei and Japan.

Then, H.E. Pengiran delivered a speech. Referring to his experience of surviving the atomic bomb in Hiroshima, he emphasized the tragedy of the bomb and said, “We must respect peace, because peace is not a choice but a gift given to us by Allah (God).” He ended his speech by urging participants to work together to realize world peace. “There are many religions in the world and they all worship different gods, but the most important thing is to know that we are all brothers and sisters.”

Located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, the State of Brunei is surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak. Its official language is Malay. The remanant of a powerful sultanate, it regained its independence from the United Kingdom in 1984. H.E. Bengiran Yusuf addressed the World Summit on Peace in May in Seoul, Korea. For a videotape of his presentation, click here.