August 15, 2023

Akahata editorial (excerpts)

This August 15 marks 78 years since Japan surrendered in the Asia-Pacific War. In the 15-year war of aggression which started with Japan’s invasion of northeastern China in 1931 (the Manchurian Incident), more than 3.1 million people in Japan and over 20 million people in the rest of Asia were killed.

After the war’s end, Japan made a fresh start with the pledge not to repeat the tragedy of war. The administration of Prime Minister Kishida Fumio is pushing forward with an unprecedented military buildup and Japan’s possession of an enemy base attack capability. This move is outrageous as it will undermine Japan’s pacifist reputation. The most urgent task is to increase the public movement aimed at putting an end to the present government attempt to turn Japan yet again into a war-fighting nation.

The Kishida administration at the end of 2022 decided on three key national security documents and rushed headlong into Japan’s acquisition of an enemy base strike capability and an extraordinary 43-trillion-yen arms buildup. Under this situation, the term “new prewar days” has attracted much public attention.

The central point of Japan’s possession of an enemy base attack capability is to enable Japan to play a major role in the U.S. military strategy aimed at containing China. If Japan’s Self-Defense Forces take part in an U.S. war, this may bring about a retaliatory attack on Japan. Any attempt to create a situation referred to as the “new prewar days” must be foiled in order to prevent Japan from experiencing war devastation again.

In the latest nationwide public survey on citizens’ perceptions of peace which Tokyo Shimbun published on July 30, asked about what is most needed for Japan to prevent war, 32% of respondents cited “peace diplomacy” and 28% cited “the maintaining of the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution”.

It is the government’s responsibility to fully utilize its wisdom and strength to avert a war. It is unacceptable for the government to participate in an arms race that will without doubt escalate tensions in East Asia. What Japan should do is to aggressively conduct diplomacy utilizing the pacifist Article 9 of the Constitution. To realize a government working to prepare for peace is urgently needed.

Past related articles:
> FY 2023 budget bill aimed at huge arms buildup passed in Lower House [March 1, 2023]
> DM Hamada: we may incur 'massive damage' in retaliation for Japan's enemy-base strikes [February 7, 2023]
> Amid fierce protests, Cabinet approves revision of 3 key documents in order to pave way for Japan’s enemy base strikes [December 17, 2022]