iraqwar

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

Journalists and writers call on the public to continue to think of Iraq War

About 250 writers and journalists attended a Japan P.E.N. Club symposium on February 18 to think over the Iraq War at the Nippon Press Center Building Hall in Tokyo.

Using video footage showing the Iraq War, Nonaka Akihiro, founder of The Asia Press, spoke about aspects of the Iraq War that has not been included in media coverage.

Japan P.E.N. Club President Inoue Hisashi said, "Historically, hypothetical enemies have repeatedly been created by the mass media. The task is for the media to reveal that there are people who are trying to make a hypothetical enemy."

Referring to his years of journalistic experience in the United States, Kanehira Shigenori, former Washington Bureau chief of the Tokyo Broadcasting System Inc, said, "The United States withholds information that it believes disadvantageous to it. It releases the number of casualties of only U.S. soldiers, but not of Iraqis it has killed. Isn't this unfair?"

Literary essayist Takahashi Chihaya said, "While responsibility for the Iraq War is to be left unanswered, we should continue to think over the responsibility. The worst environmental destruction is from war."

Writer Atouda Kou gave the closing speech, "Japanese have become too generous. The Japan P.E.N. Club will continue to say wait a minute, something is wrong when it sees the country going the wrong way."
- Akahata, February 19, 2006