  2005 is the year of hope to make a new history -- Akahata editorial, January 1Happy New Year! Last year, a number of disasters hit Japan and abroad. The death count from the earthquake and tsunami off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, is still increasing. We desperately wish for proper emergency relief and a safe new year. This is the 60th year since the end of WWII. Topics concerning the war will probably be discussed from various angles in Japan and abroad. Looking at trends in politics and society in general, you may realize that some changes are taking place. The steady progress of history gives us hope for the future. We have wisdom to live in peace Changes during the 60 years since the end of WWII represent a historic leap. For example, in Japan, the power to decide on a course the country's politics should take was given to people as sovereign for the first time in Japanese history, instead of just to a privileged class of people like the Emperor. The government is no longer allowed to launch a war or unilaterally mobilize the people for war. Despite present setbacks, various systems to defend people's lives and rights were established after the war. These are changes made by people who called for politics based on the Japanese Constitution. Although we should not underestimate the moves to adversely revise the Constitution, mainly pursued by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, we are very sure that people's power can shatter such ambitions and help defend the Constitution. Similar changes occurred throughout the world. In October 1945 when the United Nations was founded, the number of member countries was 51. 60 years later, it became 191 because many countries broke away from colonial rule and gained their independence. Instead of colonial rule, independence and state sovereignty became an international common principle. The U.N. Charter seeks a world free of wars, thus establishes rules to solve international disputes in a peaceful manner. The U.N. Charter and the Japanese Constitution are full of human wisdom wishing to create a peaceful world. That's what makes the world call on the United Nations to demand peace in response to the Iraq War. For every people in the world looking for an exit from war or violence, Article 9 of the Constitution is a glimmer of hope. Adverse currents in history that turn against the wisdom of mankind are definitely about to be overcome. Even with the one 10,000th power In November and December 2004, two interesting elections took place. In the Kunimi Town mayoral election, Fukushima Prefecture, a municipal merger was the biggest election issue. Japanese Communist Party candidate Sato Chikara, former town assembly member, was elected mayor, beating the incumbent. Sato along with nine other influential people of the town made representations to the town government, calling for a withdrawal of the merger. The majority of town assembly members, however, discarded their call saying, "Only one 1,000th of people oppose the merger," while the town has a population of about 11,000. On the day the election was announced, Sato put up his election posters by himself and called on town people, "If each person's power is combined with other, it will be a big power needed to change town politics." His victory in the election showed that his words were true. In the by-election to fill two vacancies in the Minami Ward in Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, JCP member Saito Maki won the most votes, gaining nearly twice as many votes as the two other candidates supported by LDP-Komei and the Democratic Party gained. Saitama voters were angry about the LDP, Komei, and the DPJ hugely increasing salaries for city assembly members. Only the JCP was in opposition to the increase in their salaries. Saito's victory was a result of the fact that people found the JCP argument sensible. The JCP Saitama City Assembly members group has been using the increase in their salaries for a movement to get back the original amount, and the joint movement with people is developing. Any force that disregards people's power cannot be a promoter of history. Let's widen the circle of solidarity to live together in a rapidly changing 21st century in a bid to open a new history! (end) |