Japan Press Weekly

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2015 July 22 - 28 [POLITICS]

Shii talks about prospect of scrapping war bills in editorial staff’s meeting

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on July 22 talked about the prospect of the scrapping of the government proposed war bills in a meeting that Kyodo News held with its member newspapers’ editorial staff taking part.

Speaking at the meeting, Shii pointed out that through discussions on the controversial bills in the House of Representatives, it came to light how the bills violate the Japanese Constitution, serve the U.S., and turn back Japan’s clock.

Shii then noted that as the public movement opposing the war bills is remarkably picking up momentum, young people, constitutional scholars, and even former heads of the Cabinet Legislation Bureau are expressing their opposition to the bills.

Shii stressed, “This growing public movement reveals the public intent to thwart the creation of a dictatorship and to protect not only Article 9 of the Constitution but also democracy and constitutionalism.” He presented his belief that it will be possible to force the Abe administration to give up bulldozing through the bills if opposition parties can successfully create a situation where an overwhelming majority of the general public are seen to be opposing the ruling coalition’s attempt to railroad through the bills and where the Abe administration’s approval rating is further shrinking.

Shii also pointed out that during this summer, the Abe government will also face strong public objections to its policies regarding a new U.S. base in Okinawa, reactivation of idled nuclear power plants, talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade pact, and its denial of the historical facts. “Joining hands with these public movements, the JCP will do everything it can to have the bills scrapped,” Shii said.

Past related article:
> Young voices against war legislation echo across Japan [July 11-14, 2015]
> Tokyo Univ. students and professors hold rally against ‘security’ legislation [July 11 & 12, 2015]
> All constitutional scholars in parliamentary hearing criticize war legislation as unconstitutional [June 7, 2015]