Japan booksellers create reading list to keep peace discussions alive

Osaka, Japan -- In an effort to maintain public interest in peace discussions as the 80th anniversary of World War II's end approaches, bookstores across Japan have collaborated to create a reading list titled "Building Lasting Peace." This initiative was sparked by concerns that the media coverage and public engagement with war and peace matters in 2025, the 81st year since the war's conclusion, might wane. Two Osaka bookshop employees, Sakura Mori and Hina, recognized the need for action and decided to address it.

Mori, who rents a shelf at the shared bookstore Kibo o Tsumugu Honya-san, filled her inventory with books that encourage reflection on peace, particularly in light of ongoing conflicts like the one in Gaza. She expressed confusion about why she only began speaking out now, even as her own life has been impacted by the global conflicts that have taken place.

Hina, an office worker who runs a bookshelf alongside Mori, shared her concern for Palestine and aimed to create a book list that could bring readers closer to the lives of strangers and distant countries, helping them understand the context and history behind wars.

The two bookshop owners reached out to other bookstores across Japan through social media, garnering support from 45 locations across the country, from Hokkaido to Okinawa. The recommended titles span a variety of genres, including novels like Erich Kastner's *The Flying Classroom* and George Orwell's *Nineteen Eighty-Four*, war memoirs, picture books, and works on history education in South Korea and the experiences of atomic bomb survivors.

The list, published in A5 format, includes 2,000 copies that were distributed to participating bookstores at their own cost.

Mori emphasized that peace is achieved through personal reflection and shared discussions, hoping the book list will serve as a catalyst for such conversations. The participating bookstores' information can be found at https://note.com/freegaza_13.