Japan Press Weekly

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2016 October 26 - November 1 [POLITICS]

Aomori residents rally to oppose planned SDF dispatch to South Sudan

In opposition to the government plan to dispatch Japanese Self-Defense Forces to South Sudan, more than 1,200 people on October 30 held a rally in Aomori City. The Abe administration intends to send SDF members stationed in the Tohoku region, including Aomori Prefecture, to the African country in late November.

At the rally, Kanda Kensaku, co-representative of a local Article 9 Association, gave a speech on behalf of the organizers. He strongly condemned the Abe Cabinet for its intent to make a decision to assign SDF members new and dangerous tasks based on the unconstitutional national security legislation. “If citizens and the opposition parties work hard together, it is possible to block the implementation of the war legislation,” he stressed.

Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Takahashi Chizuko delivered a speech in solidarity along with the representatives of the Democratic and Social Democratic parties. “As a nation having a war-renouncing Constitution, Japan must not send anyone to battlegrounds. Let’s unite to stop the SDF dispatch to South Sudan,” she said.

House of Councilors member Tanabu Masayo, who was the joint opposition candidate and was elected in the single-seat constituency in Aomori, also gave a speech in solidarity. “Many voters placed their hope for peace on me. I’ll work hard to abolish the war laws,” she said.

Tomiyama Masaki, a 52-year-old man living in Fukuoka, whose son is an SDF member, sent a message to the rally. Since the summer of 2015, Tomiyama has conducted a street drive in his hometown, holding up a placard calling for opposition to the war legislation. He said in his message, “Soon after I began this action, a few people joined me. Then, dozens of people came to help us. Also, I have made friends with many foreigners through the Internet.”

Tomiyama went on to appeal to family members of SDF personnel, “I hope you will raise your voices with courage in order to protect your loved ones.”

Past related article:
> SDF in drills practices what doesn’t work in South Sudan [October 25, 2016]