About 50 high school students on July 24 requested the Chief Cabinet Secretary, the Defense Agency director-general, the ruling party leaders, and the Democratic Party head as well as members of the Upper House committee on defense to give up sending the Self-Defense Forces to Iraq.
The students demanded that the bill to dispatch the SDF to Iraq be scrapped, and called for humanitarian support for Iraq under U.N. leadership and Japan's diplomatic activities based on the war-renouncing Constitution.
The students also met with Japanese Communist Party Executive Chair Shii Kazuo and the JCP Lower House Dietmembers group in the congressional office building.
Shii expressed his full support to the students' request and stated that the JCP will use every possible means to block the dangerous bill from being passed through the Diet.
Recalling the huge peace rally that high school students organized in March and May to declare their absolute opposition to the Iraq War, Shii said he was moved and that he was sure Japan has a bright future.
He said, "From the worldwide perspective, your efforts as well as ours have the goal of a better future. Let's boldly make our way together with full confidence." (end)
