Message from Chairman
I started RBA International activities 25 years ago. So that real estate, construction and housing industries in Japan could develop together and deepen friendship among them, at the very beginning I proposed and at the same time advocated a baseball tournament where rubber-ball baseball teams could join from across differing industries. Luckily, I had supports from people who were the leaders of these industries each running big corporations; I was able to establish Real Estate Baseball Association. We have since then been able to continue the tournament every year for as long as 25 years.
Baseball tournament is just one method for people to communicate with each other and to deepen friendship. Not only does RBA International hold domestic baseball tournaments but has also organized various international activities in such fields as culture, academic area, sports, etc, and fortunately as a consequence, RBA has so far been given many cordial advice and support from the state organs mostly in Asia and their corresponding embassies in Japan.
Looking back at the past 25 years, could we not say that we have never encountered a time with such poor status of human relationships as it stands now, with a feeling of impasse? This does not just apply to personal relationships but also to social, national, and international relationships, where it becomes increasingly harder to restore misunderstandings, disagreements and differences in values.
I am neither a politician nor a political commentator. However, I am a nation of Japan – a country that cannot stand on its own. I am also a human – who cannot live alone – who play a small part on this earth as one of Chikyujin (people of the Earth, motherland). And this is why – with my small existence – I feel it is my important responsibility that I do speak out loud and express my opinion.
RBA International raises a hand with an objection to the current situation where the world is competing with armaments and economy; where the principle of competition is seen as a fundamental management style of the earth. Instead, we raise our voice to say “Now is the time to start the competition of contribution to mankind”.
RBA International has done everything within our power this year in enhancing the exchanges of Asia. Setting up a theme of “Friendship of Asia” over the next 3 years to come, we are to devote ourselves in promoting academic, cultural and sports exchanges withAsian youth in the centre. We ask for your sincere understanding and cooperation for the next year, too.
January 2014
Specified Nonprofit Corporation RBA International
Nobuhiro Kume, Chairman
