August 11, 2015
Experts of the Middle East on August 10 held a press conference in the Diet building and released a joint appeal demanding the scrapping of the war bills which are currently being discussed in the House of Councilors. They warn that the bills will completely ruin the relationships now held between Japan and Middle Eastern countries.
The appeal points out that having long suffered from colonial rule and invasions by western powers, Middle Eastern countries have a favorable impression of Japan because it refrained from using armed forces abroad since the end of World War II. The appeal also notes that Japan’s anti-military stance has helped nurture trust and friendship between Japan and Middle Eastern countries.
Citing the fact that western powers’ interventions in the region brought about tragedies and chaos, the appeal criticizes the Abe government for failing to learn lessons from history and for sponsoring the war bills which will greatly strengthen Japan-U.S. military cooperation.
At the press conference in the Diet building, University of Tokyo Professor Nagasawa Eiji, one of the promoters of the appeal, expressed his fear that the enactment of the war bills would betray Middle Eastern people’s trust in Japan. He added that the release of the appeal is considered to be a social responsibility of researchers of the Middle East.
Miyata Osamu of the Center for Contemporary Islamic Studies in Japan criticizingly said that the Japanese government has shown no remorse for having expressed its support for the U.S. invasion of Iraq. He stressed that if enacted, the bills will drag Japan into U.S.-led wars in the Middle East.
The appeal points out that having long suffered from colonial rule and invasions by western powers, Middle Eastern countries have a favorable impression of Japan because it refrained from using armed forces abroad since the end of World War II. The appeal also notes that Japan’s anti-military stance has helped nurture trust and friendship between Japan and Middle Eastern countries.
Citing the fact that western powers’ interventions in the region brought about tragedies and chaos, the appeal criticizes the Abe government for failing to learn lessons from history and for sponsoring the war bills which will greatly strengthen Japan-U.S. military cooperation.
At the press conference in the Diet building, University of Tokyo Professor Nagasawa Eiji, one of the promoters of the appeal, expressed his fear that the enactment of the war bills would betray Middle Eastern people’s trust in Japan. He added that the release of the appeal is considered to be a social responsibility of researchers of the Middle East.
Miyata Osamu of the Center for Contemporary Islamic Studies in Japan criticizingly said that the Japanese government has shown no remorse for having expressed its support for the U.S. invasion of Iraq. He stressed that if enacted, the bills will drag Japan into U.S.-led wars in the Middle East.
