August 21, 2015

An international lawyers’ organization founded by those who actively participated in the anti-Nazi resistance movement issued a statement which “opposes Japan’s legislation leading to wars”. The Japanese affiliate of the organization on August 20 announced this at a press conference in Tokyo.

The organization, the International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL) consisting of lawyers and jurists in 90 countries is expressing its support for Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution and is working to increase public knowledge about Article 9 and its clear peace principle in order to promote world peace. IADL’s Japanese member organization is the Japanese Lawyers International Solidarity Association (JALISA).

The IADL in its statement voiced deep concern about the Japanese government’s decision to lift the ban on Japan’s use of the collective self-defense right which undermines Article 9. The statement points out that in accordance with the WWII surrender document and the Potsdam Declaration as well as Article 2.4 of the UN Charter, “Article 9 is a legally binding instrument under international law.” The statement demands that the Japanese government continue to renounce war.

At the press conference, IADL executive committee member and Aoyama Gakuin University graduate school professor Niikura Osamu expressed his determination to lobby the Japanese government and work hard to develop public opposition globally in cooperation with IADL member organizations in other countries.

Citing the latest revelation of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces’ internal documents by Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Koike Akira, JALISA President Okuma Masakazu said, “The documents show that the SDF will fight wars under the full control of the U.S. forces, which is totally unacceptable.”

Past related articles:
> MOD already plans to reorganize SDF units in line with war bills [August 12, 2015]
> MOD admits it prepared for enactment of war bills which are still under Diet discussion [August 18, 2015]