October 26, 2015
Groups of scholars and students opposing the war legislation on October 25 held a symposium on constitutionalism, democracy, and pacifism in Japan, with around 1,300 people filling the venue for the symposium in Tokyo.
This event was organized by the Association of Scholars Opposed to the Security-related Laws jointly with the students’ group SEALDs.
Gakushuin University Professor Sato Manabu, one of the co-founders of the scholars’ association, said that the forcible enactment of the war legislation was a brutal act undermining the basic characteristic of postwar Japan, but a new type of democracy emerged from the public movements which united against the legislation.
A total of ten scholars and lawyers and five students gave speeches.
Senshu University Professor Hirowatari Seigo, former president of the Science Council of Japan, said, “The anti-war legislation bloc needs to command a majority in the parliament in order to abolish the new security laws and to cancel the Cabinet decision that allows Japan to use the right to collective self-defense.” Keio University Professor emeritus Kobayashi Setsu argued that opposition parties will be able to obtain a Diet majority if they can succeed in cooperating with each other in upcoming elections and that this would change the dynamics of the situation.
Lawyer Yamagishi Ryota of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations criticized the forcible enactment of the war laws by saying that even though they were enacted, the unconstitutional legislation is invalid.
Depicting people campaigning against the war legislation, Osawa Mami, Ritsumeikan University student and member of SEALDs Kansai, said, “Academics left their ivory towers and took to the streets. People in show business openly expressed their political opinion in defiance of that industry’s taboo on talking politics. Holding a placard, a friend of mine joined a demonstration for the first time. I used to be timid myself, but gathered up my courage to deliver my speech in protest in front of the Diet building.” She added that continuing discussions and uniting in efforts will bring about favorable changes.
This event was organized by the Association of Scholars Opposed to the Security-related Laws jointly with the students’ group SEALDs.
Gakushuin University Professor Sato Manabu, one of the co-founders of the scholars’ association, said that the forcible enactment of the war legislation was a brutal act undermining the basic characteristic of postwar Japan, but a new type of democracy emerged from the public movements which united against the legislation.
A total of ten scholars and lawyers and five students gave speeches.
Senshu University Professor Hirowatari Seigo, former president of the Science Council of Japan, said, “The anti-war legislation bloc needs to command a majority in the parliament in order to abolish the new security laws and to cancel the Cabinet decision that allows Japan to use the right to collective self-defense.” Keio University Professor emeritus Kobayashi Setsu argued that opposition parties will be able to obtain a Diet majority if they can succeed in cooperating with each other in upcoming elections and that this would change the dynamics of the situation.
Lawyer Yamagishi Ryota of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations criticized the forcible enactment of the war laws by saying that even though they were enacted, the unconstitutional legislation is invalid.
Depicting people campaigning against the war legislation, Osawa Mami, Ritsumeikan University student and member of SEALDs Kansai, said, “Academics left their ivory towers and took to the streets. People in show business openly expressed their political opinion in defiance of that industry’s taboo on talking politics. Holding a placard, a friend of mine joined a demonstration for the first time. I used to be timid myself, but gathered up my courage to deliver my speech in protest in front of the Diet building.” She added that continuing discussions and uniting in efforts will bring about favorable changes.
