August 15, 2022

Akahata editorial (excerpts)

This August 15 marks 77 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 three million people in Japan and over 20 million people in the rest of Asia were killed. The pledge not to repeat the tragedies of war constitutes the very foundation of postwar Japan. Taking advantage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, constitutional revisionist forces such as the ruling Liberal Democratic Party are attempting to adversely revise the postwar Japanese Constitution and are increasing their efforts to turn back postwar Japan’s road toward being a pacifist nation. This move is total unacceptable.

Prime Minister Kishida Fumio on August 10 at a press conference after the Cabinet reshuffle said that a fundamental reinforcement of Japan’s military strength is the top priority of his government. PM Kishida intends to add momentum to the already large military buildup as evidenced in his ambition for Japan’s possession of the “enemy base strike capability” and the drastic increase in Japan’s military spending targeted at more than 2% of GDP. Together with this move, he shows his eagerness to accelerate the pace for amending Article 9 of the Constitution aimed at providing a legitimacy for the Self-Defense Forces. This stance is dangerous as it will put Japan on the path toward helping to intensify military tensions in East Asia.

However, the results of a public opinion poll which was released on July 31 showed opposition to the government stance. In the survey conducted by an organization consisting of Kyodo News and its member newspapers, asked about what is most important to avert war, 32% responded that Japan should put the focus on diplomacy toward maintaining peace and 24% cited the need to abide by the war-renouncing Japanese Constitution. In contrast, only 15% responded in support of a drastic reinforcement of military strength to protect Japan from invasion by a foreign country.

Deep scars which Japan’s war of aggression and colonial rule left everywhere in the Asia-Pacific region during the wartime are still obvious. Japan’s responsibility for its past acts is being called into question. The postwar Japanese Constitution in its preamble includes the resolution that “never again shall we be visited with the horrors of war through the action of government.” It becomes more important than ever to take this passage to heart and unite to foil any attempt to again turn Japan into a “war-fighting nation”.