March 20, 2016
Citizens calling for the repeal of the war laws on March 19 took part in rallies, demonstrations, and signature drives held at various locations throughout Japan as the laws will take effect at the end of this month.
In Tokyo, a rally organized by the All-out Action Committee consisting of civil groups working against war and for peace took place at the Hibiya Amphitheater with 5,600 people participating.
At the rally, reporting about the 20 million signature campaign for the abolition of the war legislation, the campaign secretariat announced that the secretariat in Tokyo alone obtained over five million signatures.
Fukuyama Shingo of the Anti-War Committee of 1000 delivered a speech on behalf of the organizer. He stressed, “Our most important task is to surround the Abe government with public movements and to help antiwar opposition parties win in national elections.” He called on rally participants to support the efforts being made by those opposition parties.
Activists representing a high school students group, a mothers group, the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, and the United Church of Christ in Japan in turn appeared on the stage and expressed their determination to continue working to abolish the unconstitutional laws. They also emphasized the need to vote for candidates who actually listen to people’s demands in the upcoming elections.
Japanese Communist Party Vice Chair Koike Akira and Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Edano Yukio delivered speeches in solidarity. The Social Democratic and People’s Life parties sent messages of support to the rally.
JCP Koike pointed out, “In this summer’s Upper House election, whether to nullify the war laws or to allow Japan to become a war-fighting nation will be squarely called into question.” He went on to say, “Being united as always with the general public, the JCP will firmly join hands with the other opposition parties to drive the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties and their supportive forces into a minority position in the Diet.”
DPJ Edano swore to help to strengthen the five opposition parties’ cooperation before the Upper House election campaign begins based on the five party leaders’ agreement to work together.
After the rally, holding placards that read, “Abolish the war laws!”, “Remove the Abe Cabinet!”, participants paraded through Tokyo’s wealthy shopping district of Ginza.
In Nagasaki, encouraged by the announcement made by the JCP, the DPJ, and two other opposition parties on the previous day that they agreed to field a joint candidate in a single-seat constituency in the prefecture in the upcoming Upper House race, more than 500 people assembled for a rally hosted by a local civil alliance opposing the war legislation and supporting constitutionalism.
Joint candidate, Nishioka Hideko who will run for the Upper House election on the DPJ ticket appeared on the stage and expressed her determination by saying, “Seeking to change Japan’s political direction from Nagasaki which experienced the atomic bombing, I will devote every effort to win in the coming election.” JCP member of the House of Representatives Majima Shozo also spoke as a guest speaker and said that the JCP will work hard for Nishioka’s victory.
Past related article:
> 20 million signatures drive started to repeal war laws [November 4, 2015]
In Tokyo, a rally organized by the All-out Action Committee consisting of civil groups working against war and for peace took place at the Hibiya Amphitheater with 5,600 people participating.
At the rally, reporting about the 20 million signature campaign for the abolition of the war legislation, the campaign secretariat announced that the secretariat in Tokyo alone obtained over five million signatures.
Fukuyama Shingo of the Anti-War Committee of 1000 delivered a speech on behalf of the organizer. He stressed, “Our most important task is to surround the Abe government with public movements and to help antiwar opposition parties win in national elections.” He called on rally participants to support the efforts being made by those opposition parties.
Activists representing a high school students group, a mothers group, the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, and the United Church of Christ in Japan in turn appeared on the stage and expressed their determination to continue working to abolish the unconstitutional laws. They also emphasized the need to vote for candidates who actually listen to people’s demands in the upcoming elections.
Japanese Communist Party Vice Chair Koike Akira and Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Edano Yukio delivered speeches in solidarity. The Social Democratic and People’s Life parties sent messages of support to the rally.
JCP Koike pointed out, “In this summer’s Upper House election, whether to nullify the war laws or to allow Japan to become a war-fighting nation will be squarely called into question.” He went on to say, “Being united as always with the general public, the JCP will firmly join hands with the other opposition parties to drive the Liberal Democratic and Komei parties and their supportive forces into a minority position in the Diet.”
DPJ Edano swore to help to strengthen the five opposition parties’ cooperation before the Upper House election campaign begins based on the five party leaders’ agreement to work together.
After the rally, holding placards that read, “Abolish the war laws!”, “Remove the Abe Cabinet!”, participants paraded through Tokyo’s wealthy shopping district of Ginza.
In Nagasaki, encouraged by the announcement made by the JCP, the DPJ, and two other opposition parties on the previous day that they agreed to field a joint candidate in a single-seat constituency in the prefecture in the upcoming Upper House race, more than 500 people assembled for a rally hosted by a local civil alliance opposing the war legislation and supporting constitutionalism.
Joint candidate, Nishioka Hideko who will run for the Upper House election on the DPJ ticket appeared on the stage and expressed her determination by saying, “Seeking to change Japan’s political direction from Nagasaki which experienced the atomic bombing, I will devote every effort to win in the coming election.” JCP member of the House of Representatives Majima Shozo also spoke as a guest speaker and said that the JCP will work hard for Nishioka’s victory.
Past related article:
> 20 million signatures drive started to repeal war laws [November 4, 2015]
