Young people on peace-walk call for 'No war' and 'No terrorism'

Some 300 young people walked from Yoyogi Park to Shibuya Station in Tokyo
on September 23 to appeal for opposition to terrorism and retaliation with
armed force, singing John Lennon's "Give Peace A Chance" and clapping their
hands. They took part in this peace march at the invitation of the People's
Network for Peace on the internet.

When they were walking along lively Harajuku streets, many young people
gave cheers to the placard which said, "War is not the answer."

An event involving group of young people in their 20s and 30s on the same
day carried out a "silent protest action for peace" in front of the U.S.
Embassy in Akasaka, Minato Ward.

On their web site, the group is calling on young people to do whatever
they can as the young generation in Japan, the only nation that has a
constitution that prohibits the threat or use of force as means of settling
international disputes, in order to stop the U.S. action to counterattack
violence with violence.

The Democratic Youth League of Japan (DYLJ) held a street campaign in
Shibuya on September 22.

A Self-Defense Forces member in his early 20s told a DYLJ member that he
was willing to die on a battlefield to end terrorism. But hearing the DYLJ
member saying that the retaliation with armed force could trigger terrorist
attacks against Japan and it could lead to another retaliation with
violence, he said, "If possible, I want to avoid going to war. I want
terrorism ended with international law and public opinion."

In Osaka, about 50 members of the DYLJ and the Network for Changing Japan
with the Japanese Communist Party in a campaign in front of JR Tennoji
station on September 24 asked young people whether they want retaliation
with armed force or a peaceful solution through a U.N. initiative. 105 out
of the 110 respondents said they support a peaceful solution.