August 17, 2016
The progressive democracy students’ group, SEALDs, disbanded on August 15, the day marking the end of WWII. Members will go on to graduate schools or enter the workforce.
Leading figures of SEALDs held a press conference on the following day in the Diet building. One of the founders Okuda Aki said, “I’d been doing this not only because I didn’t like the Abe government but I wanted to think about how I want to live my life.” Terada Tomoka said, “What I wanted to convey to everyone is, ‘Take action!’ and ‘Don’t leave things to others!’. This is going to be a very long struggle but I’ll keep doing what I can.” Motoyama Jinshiro from Okinawa said, “I feel proud to have helped to build a bridge between anti-base movements in Okinawa and pro-constitutionalism movements nationwide.” Abe Sakura said, “I’ve become aware that peace and democracy is something we can easily lose. These are things that we ourselves have to create and maintain.”
* * *
On the Constitution Day of May 3 in 2015, university students who had been opposed to the controversial State Secrecy Act established a group called the Students Emergency Action for Liberal Democracy-s (SEALDs) in Tokyo and Osaka, respectively. SEALDs started its activity to work for the protection of freedom and democracy. In order to resist the present government which denies the importance of democracy and constitutionalism, the group also called for a united effort among opposition parties. During the next 15 months, their struggle led to the birth of an opposition alliance and the group strenuously invited more citizens to participate in pro-democracy events and election campaigns, opening up a new horizon.
The number of rallies or demonstrations against the security-related legislation which took place in that year alone was, according to Akahata reports, totaled about 70 in May, about 200 in June, more than 300 in July, about 450 in August, and more than 330 in September. “Tell me what democracy looks like! This is what democracy looks like!” became an iconic call and response of SEALDs.
It was in a SEALDs rally on June 2, 2015 when leaders of the five opposition parties - the Japanese Communist Party, the then Democratic Party of Japan, the then Innovation Party, the People’s Life Party, and the Social Democratic Party- for the first time stood shoulder-to-shoulder with each other on the same campaign van, which has now become a familiar sight.
During the period of the House of Councilors election campaign in July this year, SEALDs actively gave speeches in support of united opposition candidates or worked at their campaign offices in 32 single-seat constituencies in Japan. As a result, the opposition force won a victory in 11 out of the 32 contests and beat the sitting Abe Cabinet ministers in Fukushima and Okinawa.
Past related articles:
> 2 sitting ministers lose in Okinawa and Fukushima voting districts[July 11 & 12, 2016]
> Joint opposition candidates finally chosen in all single-seat constituencies for upcoming Upper House election [June 1, 2016]
> Electoral cooperation to repeal war legislation agreed upon among opposition parties[February 20, 2016]
Leading figures of SEALDs held a press conference on the following day in the Diet building. One of the founders Okuda Aki said, “I’d been doing this not only because I didn’t like the Abe government but I wanted to think about how I want to live my life.” Terada Tomoka said, “What I wanted to convey to everyone is, ‘Take action!’ and ‘Don’t leave things to others!’. This is going to be a very long struggle but I’ll keep doing what I can.” Motoyama Jinshiro from Okinawa said, “I feel proud to have helped to build a bridge between anti-base movements in Okinawa and pro-constitutionalism movements nationwide.” Abe Sakura said, “I’ve become aware that peace and democracy is something we can easily lose. These are things that we ourselves have to create and maintain.”
* * *
On the Constitution Day of May 3 in 2015, university students who had been opposed to the controversial State Secrecy Act established a group called the Students Emergency Action for Liberal Democracy-s (SEALDs) in Tokyo and Osaka, respectively. SEALDs started its activity to work for the protection of freedom and democracy. In order to resist the present government which denies the importance of democracy and constitutionalism, the group also called for a united effort among opposition parties. During the next 15 months, their struggle led to the birth of an opposition alliance and the group strenuously invited more citizens to participate in pro-democracy events and election campaigns, opening up a new horizon.
The number of rallies or demonstrations against the security-related legislation which took place in that year alone was, according to Akahata reports, totaled about 70 in May, about 200 in June, more than 300 in July, about 450 in August, and more than 330 in September. “Tell me what democracy looks like! This is what democracy looks like!” became an iconic call and response of SEALDs.
It was in a SEALDs rally on June 2, 2015 when leaders of the five opposition parties - the Japanese Communist Party, the then Democratic Party of Japan, the then Innovation Party, the People’s Life Party, and the Social Democratic Party- for the first time stood shoulder-to-shoulder with each other on the same campaign van, which has now become a familiar sight.
During the period of the House of Councilors election campaign in July this year, SEALDs actively gave speeches in support of united opposition candidates or worked at their campaign offices in 32 single-seat constituencies in Japan. As a result, the opposition force won a victory in 11 out of the 32 contests and beat the sitting Abe Cabinet ministers in Fukushima and Okinawa.
Past related articles:
> 2 sitting ministers lose in Okinawa and Fukushima voting districts[July 11 & 12, 2016]
> Joint opposition candidates finally chosen in all single-seat constituencies for upcoming Upper House election [June 1, 2016]
> Electoral cooperation to repeal war legislation agreed upon among opposition parties[February 20, 2016]
