November 2, 2015
The Japan Peace Committee (JPC) on October 31 held a trilateral discussion among panelists from Japan, China, and South Korea regarding how to maintain the peace in East Asia. This debate was organized as part of the 2015 Japan Peace Conference held in Shizuoka’s Gotemba City, located at the foot of Mt. Fuji.
In the discussion, Waseda University Professor Liu Jie, a Chinese researcher specializing in Japan’s modern political history, highlighted the importance of promoting reconciliation over historical issues in East Asia at the popular level. Noting that sharing of historical knowledge is vital for regional peace and stability, the professor emphasized the role of intellectuals and the general public, saying that it is difficult to achieve this goal at the national government level.
Lee Mihyeon, chair of the Center for Peace and Disarmament of People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) in South Korea, referred to various protest actions against Japan’s war legislation which Japanese citizens have staged across the country. She underscored the significance of developing participatory democracy further in both Japan and South Korea in order to urge each government to formulate its peace policy in accordance with public opinion.
Concerning the growing tension in the South China Sea, JPC Executive Director Kawata Tadaaki said, “Exerting military pressure will not only make the territorial dispute more difficult to solve but also create new risks.” He went on to point out that Prime Minister Abe Shinzo’s subservient stance toward Washington may get Japan involved in an inadvertent military crisis.
Kawata also stressed that what is necessary to ensure Japan’s security is not a deterrent capability but diplomatic ability.
Following the two-day conference, on November 1, participants paraded through the downtown area calling out, “We do not need U.S. bases!” “Solidarity with Okinawans!” and “Repeal the war legislation!”
In the discussion, Waseda University Professor Liu Jie, a Chinese researcher specializing in Japan’s modern political history, highlighted the importance of promoting reconciliation over historical issues in East Asia at the popular level. Noting that sharing of historical knowledge is vital for regional peace and stability, the professor emphasized the role of intellectuals and the general public, saying that it is difficult to achieve this goal at the national government level.
Lee Mihyeon, chair of the Center for Peace and Disarmament of People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD) in South Korea, referred to various protest actions against Japan’s war legislation which Japanese citizens have staged across the country. She underscored the significance of developing participatory democracy further in both Japan and South Korea in order to urge each government to formulate its peace policy in accordance with public opinion.
Concerning the growing tension in the South China Sea, JPC Executive Director Kawata Tadaaki said, “Exerting military pressure will not only make the territorial dispute more difficult to solve but also create new risks.” He went on to point out that Prime Minister Abe Shinzo’s subservient stance toward Washington may get Japan involved in an inadvertent military crisis.
Kawata also stressed that what is necessary to ensure Japan’s security is not a deterrent capability but diplomatic ability.
Following the two-day conference, on November 1, participants paraded through the downtown area calling out, “We do not need U.S. bases!” “Solidarity with Okinawans!” and “Repeal the war legislation!”
