Ann Wright on Peace Tour in Japan: Corporate Responsibility: Products for War and Occupation or Products for Peace?

Activist and writer Ann Wright (a former U.S. diplomat and Army colonel who resigned in protest of the U.S. war on Iraq) praises Japanese cosmetics company Leila and the New Japan Women's Association for their sponsorship of peacebuilding initiatives in this Aug. 11, 2009 Huffington Post piece, "Corporate Responsibility -- Products for War and Occupation or Products for Peace?"

In America, we don't have many companies that fund peace activities. Most American companies seem to be more interested in making money off war.

In contrast, I am on a three week speaking tour in Japan sponsored partially by Leila, a peace, social and environmentally-conscious women's cosmetic company. Wishing to make a major contribution to women's peace initiatives, in 2000, Leila established the Women's Peace Fund to be used to invite women peace activists to the annual World Conference against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs held in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the yearly Japan Mothers' Congress, where 10,000 women meet from all over Japan. Leila donates one yen (one cent) for each cosmetic product sold to the fund (www.leila.co.jp).

In 2008, the fund also sponsored international women activists to attend the Worldwide Conference on Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution-Renunciation of War, which was undermined by the Bush administration's pressure (and continued by the Obama administration) for Japan's participation in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in violation of Japan's constitution...