August 31, 2015
On the last Sunday in August (30th), at more than 1,000 locations in all 47 prefectures, hundreds of thousands of people simultaneously staged protests against the government-sponsored war bills, the largest nationwide protest since the Abe government showed its intention to create the war legislation. This nationwide action was called for by an organizing committee consisting of various civil groups working to protect Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution.
On the rainy Sunday afternoon, in Tokyo, 120,000 protestors surrounded the Diet building. At a “speaker’s corner” set up by the organizing committee in front of the main gate where roads and sidewalks were packed with people holding a large banner that read, “Resign! PM Abe!”, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo and leaders of the Democratic, the Social Democratic, and the People’s Life parties delivered speeches in solidarity.
JCP Chair Shii said that for just one month since the House of Councilors began discussing the war bills, it has come to light that the government explanation about the need for Japan’s use of the collective self-defense right, the core of the bills, collapsed, that if the bills are enacted, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces will be able to conduct military activities, such as transport of inhumane weapons and that the SDF is arbitrarily moving forward toward fully implementing the bills under U.S. operational control.
This caused an interruption of discussions on the bills at the House Special Committee 77 times and indicated that the Abe government has reached an impasse, he pointed out.
Shii said to participants, “We have four weeks left before the end of the current Diet session. Let’s unite to increase public opposition and achieve the scrapping of the bills and the resignation of Prime Minister Abe.”
World famous musician Sakamoto Ryuichi made a surprise appearance and said that protests waged by young people and women show hope for Japan’s future. He expressed his determination to join in the public protest and received a big round of applause.
A 32-year-old participant who came from Yokohama City with her daughter said, “I can’t accept anything leading to wars. Children and innocent people are always victimized by wars.”
Sasaki Koichi, 68, who lives in Tokyo’s Fuchu City and is a patient of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis reliant on mechanical ventilation, participated in the massive protest. Using a communication board, he cited the fact that Nazi-Germany killed 200,000 disabled Germans, and expressed his concern, “In times of war, disabled people can’t live.”
Past related articles:
> Thorough investigation into MOD documents is essential [August 19, 2015]
> Youth organizations opposing war bills multiplying nationwide scale [August 14, 2015]
On the rainy Sunday afternoon, in Tokyo, 120,000 protestors surrounded the Diet building. At a “speaker’s corner” set up by the organizing committee in front of the main gate where roads and sidewalks were packed with people holding a large banner that read, “Resign! PM Abe!”, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo and leaders of the Democratic, the Social Democratic, and the People’s Life parties delivered speeches in solidarity.
JCP Chair Shii said that for just one month since the House of Councilors began discussing the war bills, it has come to light that the government explanation about the need for Japan’s use of the collective self-defense right, the core of the bills, collapsed, that if the bills are enacted, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces will be able to conduct military activities, such as transport of inhumane weapons and that the SDF is arbitrarily moving forward toward fully implementing the bills under U.S. operational control.
This caused an interruption of discussions on the bills at the House Special Committee 77 times and indicated that the Abe government has reached an impasse, he pointed out.
Shii said to participants, “We have four weeks left before the end of the current Diet session. Let’s unite to increase public opposition and achieve the scrapping of the bills and the resignation of Prime Minister Abe.”
World famous musician Sakamoto Ryuichi made a surprise appearance and said that protests waged by young people and women show hope for Japan’s future. He expressed his determination to join in the public protest and received a big round of applause.
A 32-year-old participant who came from Yokohama City with her daughter said, “I can’t accept anything leading to wars. Children and innocent people are always victimized by wars.”
Sasaki Koichi, 68, who lives in Tokyo’s Fuchu City and is a patient of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis reliant on mechanical ventilation, participated in the massive protest. Using a communication board, he cited the fact that Nazi-Germany killed 200,000 disabled Germans, and expressed his concern, “In times of war, disabled people can’t live.”
Past related articles:
> Thorough investigation into MOD documents is essential [August 19, 2015]
> Youth organizations opposing war bills multiplying nationwide scale [August 14, 2015]
