Japan Press Weekly

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2014 August 27 - September 2 [PEACE]

Article 9 of Constitution wins first Asia Peace Award

The war-renouncing Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution has gained recognition and honor in the Asian region while facing harassment in Japan where the Abe government is working to make a war-fighting Japan by reinterpreting the supreme law.

The Malayan Second World War History Society, a citizen’s organization in Malaysia, has granted the first Asia Peace Award to a Japanese civic group working to have Article 9 win the Nobel Peace Prize, Akahata reported on August 29.

The society consists mainly of overseas Chinese living in Malaya in Malaysia.

The society pointed out that Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution rightly deserves the award established to contribute to peace in Asia. It added that the prize is for all Japanese who have been protecting the Constitution for 67 years.

The Malayan group also criticized the fact that right-wing politicians and militaristic people in Japan are trying to turn Japan again into a war-fighting nation.

In contrast in Japan, a local Article 9 Association (A9A) is being confronted by hostile sentiments.

On August 21, the Kokubunji A9A was denied the right to participate in a local festival scheduled for November. The A9A has set up its booth at the annual event for five consecutive years since 2008.

The organizing committee of the Kokubunji Festival claimed that the citizens’ group is too political for the event.

Calling for the withdrawal of the rejection, the A9A on August 28 filed a written request with the Kokubunji City government, which supports the festival. A representative of the citizens’ group said that it is unacceptable for the organizing committee to turn down their application.