Japan Peace Committee holds annual convention

The Japan Peace Committee held its 54th Annual Convention June 5-6 at Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture and adopted a plan to increase opposition to the contingency legislation and the consolidation of U.S. bases. The plan also stressed the need to build grassroots cooperation in defense of the Constitution.

Secretary General Chisaka Jun delivered the keynote speech to the Convention. Noting that public criticism of the U.S. preemptive attack strategy has been increasing with the Iraq war and that the peace movement has shown new aspects of development both in Japan and internationally, he emphasized that the task now is to stop the Iraq war immediately, have the United Nations lead the effort to help Iraq's reconstruction, and restore sovereignty to the Iraqi people.

He also criticized the Bush administration for making nuclear threats against other countries and developing new nuclear weapons, and called for the promotion of the signature-collecting campaign "Abolish nuclear weapons now!" which was launched by the 2003 World Conference against A & H Bombs.

The convention was attended by 316 members, and more than 240 people spoke at the plenary session and group meetings. The discussion showed that grassroots activities are spreading throughout the country in opposition to the dispatch of the Self Defense Forces to Iraq and in defense of the Constitution. (end)