Citizens' organizations call for lawful and reasonable means to end terrorism

Worried about the U.S. retaliation plan against terrorist attacks,
citizens' organizations throughout Japan are calling for a lawful and
reasonable solution of the problem.

 The All Japan Teachers and Staff Union (Zenkyo) in its September 18
statement called on Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro to stop cooperating
with the U.S. in seeking military retaliation.

 The Association of the Prewar National Elementary School First Graders
headed by Inoue Hisashi, writer, published a statement on September 18
demanding that the U.S. conform to its own promise of "world peace" and
"respect for human rights" which it has made to the world.

This association consists of the graduates from national elementary
schools in 1945 at the time of Japan's defeat in WWII, after receiving
education based on the Tenno system and militarism.

 The National Christian Council of Japan (NCC) on September 13 requested
the government to make efforts to get the problem solved through lawful,
reasonable, and peaceful means carried out by international organizations.

The Doctors and Medical Scientists against Nuclear War and for
Elimination of Nuclear Weapons in its September 14 statement warned that
violence could invite more violence which will increase victims.

The New Japan Women's Association held a street campaign on September 19
in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo. Inoue Miyo, the association chair and Japanese
Communist Party House of Councilors member, spoke to passers-by, stressing
the need for international cooperation in the elimination of terrorism.

In Okinawa, the situation is tense as the U.S. bases are busy preparing
for retaliation. Yanbaru Toitsuren, a citizens' organization in opposition
to a new U.S. base construction in Nago City in order to save the animals
which are on the verge of extinction, conducted a protest campaign on
September 19.

Another citizens' organization calling for removal of U.S. bases from
Okinawa and for world peace, on the same day called on the U.S. General
Consulate not to use armed force in retaliation. It also requested the
Foreign Ministry Okinawa office to persuade the U.S. to give up the
retaliation plan.

The Japan Peace Committee and the Central Action Committee against the
Japan-U.S. Security Treaty (Anpo-Haki) issued statements denouncing the
retaliation plan and protesting against Japan's government which intends to
help the U.S. in carrying out the plan.

In the Diet, JCP's Yamaguchi Tomio in the September 18 House of
Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee meeting and Ogata Yasuo in the
September 19 House of Councilors Budget Committee meeting warned that
retaliation would invite more terrorist attacks and the situation would then
become worse.

They insisted that international cooperation centering on the U.N. be
expanded to find the terrorist forces responsible and punish them under the
law. (end)