Japan Peace Committee Congress calls for increased efforts in defense of Constitution

   Calling for increased efforts to block the government scheme to turn Japan into a war-fighting nation by constitutional revision, the Japan Peace Committee held its 57th National Congress on June 9 and 10 in Otsu City in Shiga Prefecture with about 300 participants.

   In the opening address, Representative Director Hatada Shigeo criticized the Abe Cabinet’s move towards adverse revision of the Constitution and the Self-Defense Forces’ surveillance of the public.

   Pointing out that the movements of the public against constitutional revision and strengthening of U.S. base functions have been continuing to grow, Hatada called on the participants to join forces with those movements and to drastically strengthen their movement.

   Secretary General Chisaka Jun in the keynote report stressed that the Japan Peace Committee has supported struggles of local residents in opposition to the planned realignment of U.S. forces and strengthening of base functions that involve local municipalities.

   He pointed out that the Peace Committee has contributed to promoting cooperation at the grassroots level in defense of Article 9 and to the development of public opinion for peace through its activities to raise public awareness of the realities of the atomic bombings and wars.

   Chisaka stressed the importance of revealing to the public the changes in the Japan-U.S. military alliance and bases taking place behind the move towards constitutional revision. He called for defeating pro-constitutional revision forces in the upcoming House of Councilors election as well as promoting nationwide solidarity in opposition to U.S. military bases.

   Two special reports were given: one on Japan Peace Committee representatives’ participation in the International Conference for the Abolition of All Foreign Military Bases held in Ecuador in March 2007, the counteraction of NGOs at the G8 Summit, and the recent struggles against strengthening U.S. base functions in Okinawa.

   Japanese Communist Party House of Councilors member Kobayashi Mieko spoke as a guest.

   The Congress reelected Hatada and four other members as representative directors.

   It also adopted a special resolution protesting the SDF surveillance of the public and urging the government to fully investigate and discontinue such activities.                                - Akahata, June 10 & 12, 2007