Japan Press Weekly

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2014 July 16 - 22 [POLITICS]

Japan bar association organizes demonstration against the collective self-defense right

The Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA) held a demonstration on July 17, marching through Tokyo’s major shopping district of Ginza, calling for the revocation of the latest Cabinet decision enabling Japan to use the collective self-defense right.

During the demonstration, 350 lawyers, including the JFBA president and heads of all the 52 JFBA member associations, along with 150 participants shouted in chorus, “Reverse the Cabinet decision!” and “Don’t join in other countries’ wars!” The JFBA staged the demo for the first time since the previous one for the continuation of the scholarship program for legal trainees in 2011.

At a rally held prior to the march, JFBA President Murakoshi Susumu expressed his determination to fight together with concerned citizens to push the government to retract its decision.

Earlier in the day, some demonstrators took to the streets near JR Yurakucho Station to increase public support for their demand.

Using a microphone, lawyer Yamagishi Ryota, member of the JFBA task force on constitutional issues, said, “The ideal and the principle of Article 9 of the Constitution have been winning respect and admiration throughout the world. It is absolutely unacceptable for the Abe government to destroy Japan’s reputation as a peaceful nation so easily.”

A worker in a nearby store said, “Listening to the lawyer’s speech, I became fully aware that what Prime Minister Abe has done is unacceptable.”

Past related articles:
> Citizens resolve to retract gov’t decision to enable Japan to use collective self-defense right [July 2&3, 2014 ]
> 5,000 people rally in opposition to constitutional reinterpretation [June 18, 2014 ]