December 9, 2020

"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out -
Because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out -
Because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out -
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me - and there was no one left to speak for me."

This is an epigram by German Lutheran pastor Martine Niemoller (1892-1984) who was imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp.

Hoshide Takuya, chair of the National Christian Council in Japan (NCCJ) Committee on Yasukuni Shrine Issues, said that this poetic form of repentance came to his mind when Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide excluded six professors, who are critical of the controversial war legislation, from the Science Council of Japan (SCJ).

Hoshide said that Niemoller's confession represents guilt and personal responsibility as an accomplice who tolerated Nazi oppression and not as a victim who was persecuted. Hoshide continued to say that Niemoller had first thought that 'he was glad he wasn't among the ones who were eliminated' despite the fact that the very first removal of others was a prelude to his removal in the end. That is why Niemoller kept telling people that to be silent is wrong, according to Hoshide.

Hoshide said, "I feel that Niemoller's words are a warning to us today so that we won't have regrets in the future," adding, "Actions taken against the six scholars are not a small problem involving just the six scholars but are the onset of a situation where we may not be able to freely speak, listen or observe."

Past related articles:
> Suga government begins pressing SCJ to accept military-academia research collaboration [November 19, 2020]
> At FCCJ, 6 professors rejected by PM Suga for membership to SCJ speak of unconstitutionality of PM's act [October 24, 2020]
> Nobel laureate: PM's ouster of specific scholars from SCJ is harmful [October 11, 2020]
> Science Council of Japan president says Suga’s nomination refusal is ‘serious problem’ [October 2, 2020]
> PM Suga excludes scientists critical of war laws from Japan Science Council [October 1, 2020]