On 'National Foundation Day' opposition meetings held throughout Japan

Meetings and symposiums in protest against the celebration of "National Foundation Day" were held throughout the country on February 11.

In Tokyo, about 450 people attended a rally, "Stop building a bellicose nation and let the Constitution guide the country," organized by the Liaison Council against "National Foundation Day" and for Religious Freedom.

Asai Motofumi, professor at Meiji Gakuin University, gave a lecture focusing on the dangerous aim of wartime legislation. Takashima Nobuyoshi, professor at Ryukyu University, spoke about Japan's role in Asia in connection with the history textbook issue.

Christians, who are opposed to "National Foundation Day" and the prime minister's official visit to Yasukuni Shrine, held a meeting to protest against the Yasukuni visits by the prime minister and the Tokyo governor.

At the government-sponsored ceremony held at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Prime Minister Koizumi called on all the people to have patriotism. The meeting was also attended by Democratic Party of Japan President Hatoyama Yukio along with representatives of the Liberal Democratic and the Liberal parties.

Japan's "National Foundation Day" is based on Japan's myth that marks the legendary enthronement of Japan's first emperor. Historically, the government of emperor Meiji designated Feb. 11 as a national holiday as a means of inducing the people to renew their allegiance to the emperor and militarism, but it was abolished in 1948.

In 1966, the LDP government, in complete disregard of strong public opposition and calls for the constitutional principles of democracy to be defended, used its majority to railroad through a national foundation day bill. (end)