Japan Press Weekly

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2023 June 28 - July 4 [POLITICS]

Rally held to stop Japan from descending into yet again being a 'merchant of death'

The Network against Japan Arms Trade (NAJAT) consisting of concerned citizens, NGOs, scholars, and artists held a rally in the House of Councilors members' office building on June 28.

Japanese Communist Party member of the Upper House Inoue Satoshi, along with several other opposition lawmakers, participated in the rally.

The Diet is not in session now, but the ruling Liberal Democratic and Komei Parties are discussing ways to make it possible to enable Japan's lethal weapons exports.

NAJAT head Sugihara Koji criticized, "Lifting the ban on exports of deadly arms is tantamount to changing the Constitution, dragging Japan down into being yet again a 'merchant of death'." He said that the majority of the general populace is opposed to enabling Japan's arms exports, according to most opinion polls.

Ebine Hiromitsu who used to work in the defense industry said, "I feel scared by the present atmosphere in which the government may nationalize munitions firms one after another by taking advantage of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war."

Ebine pointed out that many young workers in the defense industry began to raise their voices against the producing offensive weapons that could be used to attack other nations, not to be used only to defend the country. He added that more and more young people in Japan are opposed to manufacturing companies such as Toshiba turning into "merchants of death".