 Japan-U.S. Security Treaty issues discussed in symposium The Action Committee for the Abrogation of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty on September 24 held a symposium discussing the present problems caused by the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty and Japan's future course without the treaty. About 130 people attended the event marking the 40th anniversary of the Action Committee, which has been an action center of Japan's peace and democratic organizations, including trade unions, in opposition to the Security Treaty. Nakae Yosuke, former Japanese ambassador to China, pointed out that Japan, bound by the security treaty with the United States which is increasing its interventionist posture in Asia, has warped relations with its Asian neighbors since the end of World War II. He emphasized that the need now is for Japan to play a role in helping maintain the region's peace and security while trying to do everything to earn the trust of other Asian countries. As part of this effort, the Japanese prime minister must stop visiting Yasukuni Shrine, a war shrine which enshrines the war dead, including Class-A war criminals. Niihara Shoji, an analyst of international affairs, said he found declassified U.S. documents that confirm the existence of secret agreements concerning the implementation of the Status of Forces Agreement that gives the U.S. forces in Japan extraordinary privileges. He said Japan now faces a crucial choice for its future: the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty or the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution? "The need now is for us to let the public know more about the importance of abrogating the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty. Yoshida Yasuhiko, a former International Atomic Energy Agency official, spoke about the so-called "North Korean threats" which are used to justify the Japan-U.S. security setup. He stressed that Japan should seek to make a non-military contribution to the world by maintaining Article 9 of the Constitution. (end) |