election3

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Let us give our no-war verdict in the general election
Akahata editorial

The Liberal Democratic Party has published its manifesto for the general election declaring that the party will set in motion the establishment of a new constitution to change the basic structure of Japan. However, focusing on the single issue of postal privatization, Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro is arrogantly asking the public to give him a blank check on the other issues.

The issue of the Constitution is a serious matter that can affect the Japanese people's livelihoods, their rights, and the nation's future course. It should be a major election issue that calls for an in-depth national discussion so that voters can pass judgment on it in the election.

Parties sharing the call for Article 9 to be changed

The LDP has published its "first draft for a new Constitution." Its main thrust is an adverse revision of Article 9 to turn Japan into a nation that can engage in wars abroad.

For example, the LDP draft proposes totally deleting Article 9's provisions declaring that Japan will neither possess war potential nor exercise the right of belligerency. It states that Japan "maintains self-defense armed forces," that "the self-defense armed forces" are allowed to carry out activities abroad" to contribute to ensuring international peace and security, and that the Japanese people "shall endeavor to actively contribute to these activities."

These are provisions that will pave the way for Japan to take part in wars like the Iraq War and force the people to cooperate in them.

The key LDP commitment for 2006 states clearly that the LDP will work for amending Article 9 of the Constitution to enable Japan to exercise the right of collective self-defense. Exercising the right of collective self-defense means requiring Japan to participate in wars started by the United States, Japan's military ally, even if Japan has not been attacked. Changing Article 9 is without doubt aimed at enabling Japan to fight wars of intervention abroad.

The Komei Party, the LDP's coalition partner, has supported deploying the Self-Defense Forces in Iraq in violation of the constitutional principles of peace. Though its "manifesto" states that paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 9 of the Constitution should be firmly maintained, it states that adding provisions affirming the existence of the SDF and Japan's international contribution to the Constitution needs to be discussed. This is how the Komei Party is joining with forces promoting constitutional "revision."

The Democratic Party of Japan in its "manifesto" states that the party will present the public with suggestions concerning the Constitution and that it will strive to get its proposal supported by two-thirds or more of the Dietmembers. This is a clear manifestation of the DPJ's willingness to draft a constitutional revision and seek to achieve consensus with the LDP and Komei.

The DPJ stance is that it approves of Japan's use of force abroad provided that the United Nations adopts a resolution to that effect, and that this position should be reflected in the constitutional revision. The problem is that the U.S. Bush administration and the Koizumi Cabinet are arbitrarily using U.N resolutions to justify the Iraq War. The DPJ policy of allowing Japan to use military force if there is a U.N. resolution authorizing the action is on the same track as Bush and Koizumi. In fact, former DPJ representative Hatoyama Yukio, the next foreign minister, in the Diet called for amending the Constitution to establish the self-defense armed forces, to which Prime Minister Koizumi agreed.

The Social Democratic Party calls for defense of the Constitution as the party's selling point. But it is in electoral cooperation with the DPJ advocating constitutional revision. How can the SDP explain this contradiction to the people?

Let's join force to stop constitutional revision

The Japanese Communist Party calls for all provisions of the Constitution to be defended and clearly opposes any moves to adversely revise the Constitution to turn Japan into a nation fighting wars abroad. Joining forces with everyone who opposes the adverse revision of the Constitution, the JCP is developing a movement to defend Article 9.

Article 9 was established to promise that Japan will never go to war again, based on Japan's self-reflection of its war of aggression. Only by standing firmly for this principle can Japan win the trust of Asia and the rest of the world.

Let us give a severe verdict on pro-revision parties to show our clear rejection of war. -- Akahata, August 27, 2005