Japan Press Weekly

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2020 September 16 - 29 TOP3 [POLITICS]

Civil Alliance issues written request to opposition parties to work together for regime change

The Civil Alliance working to abolish the national security-related legislation (aka. war laws) and restore constitutionalism on September 19 published a 15-item request made to opposition parties with a change in government in mind.

The Civil Alliance considers the next general election as an opportunity to form a national consensus regarding a society which values people's lives and livelihoods, hoping for a new government consisting of current opposition parties which share a vision for a new Japan as a replacement for the present setup ruled by the Liberal Democratic Party.

The Civil Alliance in its 15-item request focuses on: the establishment of a government serving Constitution-based politics and the people as sovereigns of the nation; the building of a socio-economic system which respects people's lives and livelihoods; the creation of new systems of society and economy which settle global issues; and the reaffirmation of the course of peace Japan takes.

The following is their 15-item request:

- Regain constitutionalism;
- Restore democracy;
- Establish a fair and transparent government;
- Shift from for-profit efficiency-first economy (aka. neoliberalism);
- Shift from the self-responsible society to a mutually-supportive one under a responsible government;
- Realize policies which place top priority on people's lives;
- Achieve a society where everyone with a 40-hour work week leads a decent life;
- Dramatically improve the national budget for children and education;
- Realize a society where everyone is respected based on gender equality;
- Create an industrial structure of decentralized network and diverse community;
- Break away from nuclear energy and develop natural energy sources;
- Support sustainable agriculture, forestry, and fisheries;
- Proactively promote an international coordination system as a pacifist Japan and work to help build an effective world order;
- Respect the dignity of Okinawans; and
- Pursue symbiosis, peace, and denuclearization in East Asia.

In the item regarding reconstruction of constitutionalism, the Civil Alliance demands that the laws considered to be unconstitutional be abolished such as the war laws, the state secrets protection law, and the anti-conspiracy law. The civic organization also demands that all-out efforts be made in order to stop an initiative for amendments to the Constitution, especially thwart an LDP-promoted revision of the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution.

In the item regarding a shift from neoliberal economy, the Civil Alliance points out that the COVID-19 pandemic sheds light on the failure of existing reform policies which make use of public services, including medical care and education, as money-making tools.

In the item regarding promotion of international coordination as a pacifist Japan, the Civil Alliance demands Japan's immediate ratification of the UN treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons.