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Tsushima mine opening ceremony held - September issue of Genji News

◆September 11th: Opening ceremony for the Aren mine in Tsushima is held in a grand manner.

In the Japan-Korea Tunnel, which will be dug from the west coast of Tsushima to Geoje Island in South Korea, the Areen tunnel was completed on July 15th, and we celebrated its completion and prayed for the safety of future construction. An opening ceremony was held on September 11th at the construction site, Aren Shuden, Izuhara-cho, Tsushima City.

 

It was a solemn and grand event with 100 people in attendance, including local people as well as people from South Korea. On a clear, sunny morning, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to open the tunnel's entrance, followed by Christian consecration, Shinto, and Buddhist exorcisms.

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Masuo Oe, Chairman of the Foundation, then gave a progress report, saying, ``Since we entered Tsushima 30 years ago, we have received the support and cooperation of many people, and we are finally able to reach this day.I would like to express our sincere gratitude. .This Aren tunnel entrance is the base of the inclined shaft, which can be said to be the most important heart of the Japan-Korea tunnel crossing the border, and is the pilot tunnel, which is the first advanced guide shaft to be constructed in the tunnel construction. Construction facilities such as hoisting winches, material storage areas, and warehouses will be lined up,'' he said with deep emotion, as well as the local community and Tsushima citizens, as well as Dr. Sun Myung Moon, who proposed the tunnel concept, and people who made donations. I expressed my gratitude many times.

 

In the following speech from the organizers, Chairman Eiji Tokuno said,
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``As one of the measures to achieve world peace, President Sun Myung Moon proposed the ``International Highway/Japan-Korea Tunnel'' concept in 1981, connecting the world as one through roads. Through exchanges, industry and technology will be leveled.Roads are said to be the arteries of life that play a central role in distribution.'' On the 50th anniversary of the restoration of diplomatic relations between Japan and South Korea, it is highly likely that Japan and South Korea will cooperate to make the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics a success, and then proceed with the Japan-Korea Tunnel as a national project for both countries. ``Let's work toward that hope and make our dreams come true together,'' he said passionately.

 

Finally, Yoshiharu Kanazawa, chairman of the Kanagawa Prefectural Citizens' Council for Promotion of the Japan-Korea Tunnel, concluded the event with a chant of ``Banzai''.

Genba Newsletter September 2014 issue (PDF viewing/download)

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