Japan Press Weekly

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2019 June 5 - 11 TOP3 [PEACE]

Japanese and Korean trade unions unite in Tokyo to work for peace

Japanese and Korean civil groups and trade unions, at Hibiya Amphitheatre in Tokyo on June 7, organized a rally themed on the establishment of a peaceful Korean Peninsula and Japan free from a nuclear threat.

After the rally, they marched in demonstration shouting, "No to war, Yes to peace! Ban nukes! Protect Article 9!"

Takada Ken of the All-Out Action Committee in his speech on behalf of the rally organizers pointed out that the present government of Japan led by Prime Minister Abe Shinzo is eager to change the pacifist Constitution to turn the country into a nation capable of fighting wars abroad.

Pointing out that opposition parties in their common election agenda call for the denuclearization of East Asia, Takada stated that an advance of the opposition parties in the coming Upper House race will be an important step toward achieving peace in Asia.

Kim Young-ho, director of the North East Asia Peace Center, said, "We, as members of civil society, should make as many friends as possible to increase cooperation for peace."

Um Mi-kyung, vice chairman of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, said that both Japan and South Korea host U.S. military bases and that cooperation is necessary for both peoples to stand up against U.S. militaristic hegemony and denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.