Tag Archives: Peace

Japan Resources – 188

Biotechnology, Peace, ,

Please click here for our latest English newsletter (pdf): JR 188

JR-188Download

Contents:

From the Editors: Peace of Mind

Press Event: Consumers in Japan Oppose Increased Military Spending

Blog: Breaking Bread

How about it, World, Do We Care about Biological Diversity, or Not?

Consumers Union of Japan has Signed the Global Appeal to Stop Gene Drives

In the News: Doubling the Defense Budget Won’t be Easy for Japan

From the Editors: Peace of Mind

Consumers Union of Japan took the initiative to protest against the proposal to increase Japan’s military spending. 28 consumer organisations joined together, wanting to protect ourselves and others from the potential risk that Japan will once again be involved in aggressive warfare.

This year, we will also step up our activities at home and abroad against the risks associated with genetic engineering, especially genome editing and gene drives. We are reaching out to like-minded groups in other countries to give a voice to consumers and citizens, who all want to live peacefully.

Please stay updated with CUJ’s activities and news on our English website, as well as on our English Twitter account: https://twitter.com/consumerunionjp/

Press Event: Consumers in Japan Oppose Increased Military Spending

Civil Rights, Peace,

Joint statement: We, consumers, seek a peaceful society that respects life and livelihood. We oppose the possession of an enemy base attack capability (counterattack capability) and increased military expenditure.

On 6 February 2023, consumer organisations from across Japan jointly issued a joint statement opposing the Kishida Government’s proposal for a pre-emptive strike in the name of an enemy base attack and an increase in defence expenditure. The call was made by the Consumers Union of Japan and Shufuren. In response to the call, consumer organisations, co-operatives and other groups from across the country endorsed the statement, which was announced at a press conference held in Tokyo.

The fact that national and local consumer consumers across the country have expressed their opposition to the government’s proposed major military build-up shows that a sense of crisis about these government moves is gradually spreading.

On 16 December 2022, the Kishida Government made a Cabinet decision to revise the ‘Three Security Documents’, including the National Security Strategy. The ‘Three Security Documents’ clearly state the policy of possessing an ‘enemy base attack capability (counterattack capability)’ and increasing Japan’s defence expenditure to 43 trillion yen. An enemy base attack capability is the capability to strike within the territory of another country. It carries the risk of a first strike, which is forbidden by international law, and is contrary to Japan’s Constitution, which states that there will be no war. Deterrence to avoid war is not a matter of enemy base attack capability (counterattack capability), but of diplomacy through dialogue.

We, 28 consumer organisations, work to solve various consumer problems that arise in our daily lives. It goes without saying once again that our activities are only possible because we are guaranteed a peaceful society. We continue to confirm the importance of pacifism in accordance with the Constitution at the National Consumer Congress, which we have held every year since 1957. Consumer cooperatives, which together with consumer organisations are responsible for Japan’s active consumer movement, have adopted the slogan ‘For peace and a better life’. Underlying this is a strong will that war must never happen again, and must not be allowed to happen.

We reaffirm that the basis of the consumer movement is to reject everything that hinders peaceful living and threatens life, and we oppose the possession of an enemy base attack capability (counterattack capability). We oppose the increased defence expenditure in Japan, seeking a peaceful society that respects life and livelihood.

6 February 2023

(Signed by 28 consumer organisations, including Shufuren, Consumers Union of Japan, Tokyo Shodanren, Kanagawa Shodanren)

(Japanese: https://nishoren.net/cuj/?p=34)

Nikkan Berita: http://www.nikkanberita.com/read.cgi?id=202302062056521

Asahi Shimbun: https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASR265K4YR26UTIL01M.html

Koa Tasaka: My Message for 2016

Civil Rights, ,

Last year, at the beginning of 2015, I wrote the following: “In order to avoid war and aggression, we should work towards peace and make sure we have a government that keeps peaceful relations with Japan’s neighbours in East Asia, and not engage in exporting weapons. I would like to maintain Japan’s Peace Constitution as a true deterrent, and not rely on military alliances which lead to the endless escalation of armament in our region of the world.” Unfortunately, during the past year we have seen the government move in exactly the opposite direction. In particular, on October 1, 2015 the Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) under Japan’s Department of Defense was established. Using tax payers’ money, armaments are being imported from other countries, while Japan prepares to start exporting domestically produced weapons and weapons systems. In my opinion, engaging in trade with weapons that kill indiscriminately is a shameful act. Aiming to make profits in such a way, the Abe administration made this a national policy. Instead, it is my sincere wish that during this new year, we should work towards demilitarization and finding peaceful solutions for the conflicts that are causing so much suffering. I strongly believe that most people agree that this is a better way forward towards world peace.

(Koa Tasaka is co-chair of CUJ)

Protect Article 9!

Civil Rights,

Consumers Union of Japan again participated in a large demonstration against the changes in Japan’s constitution. The event was held on November 19, 2015 outside the Parliament in Tokyo, and some 9000 people participated. We were joined by our new group, Consumers and Citizens for Article 9, and the photo shows our two flags at the evening protest as we wish to collect 20 million signatures until April, 2016 to abolish the changes made to the popular “Peace Clause” of the post-war constitution.

20151119 Article 9 demonstration tokyo consumers union of japan

(This is a translation based on a Facebook post over at our new Japanese Facebook page, do have a look and please Like & Follow!)

Protest Action Against Arms Trade

Civil Rights, Trade, ,

2015_Tasaka
CUJ’s Koa Tasaka speaks at the anti-arms demonstration on October 1, 2015

Protest Action against Japan’s new Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) under the Department of Defense on October 1, 2015
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his administration has done everything in his power to change Japan’s peace constitution, defying the peaceful wishes of a majority of the people. His government abolished the nation’s Three Principles banning exports of weapons in April, 2014. The plan is to make Japan a major weapons producer and arms exporter. Abe has even gone so far as to order the purchase of 17 Ospreys from Bell Helicopter in the United States for $3 billion, wasting an extravagant amount of tax revenue.
“Making a profit selling weapons is a most contemptible act, but the Abe government is now attempting to engage in this vile behavior as a state enterprise,” comments Koa Tasaka, co-chairman of Consumers Union of Japan. It is estimated that a third of Japan’s entire defense budget is being allocated for the new agency to handle the sales and purchases of weapons under the Department of Defense.
It rained on October 1, 2015, the day the new Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) under Japan’s Department of Defense was established in central Tokyo. A protest demonstration was held by peace organizations and NGOs outside the gates. Koa Tasaka further notes: ”I would like to step up the activities to bring down Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration in the next election as he is persevering in his immoral support for the weapons industry.”
Koa Tasaka explains: “Production and exports of arms should be stopped. Exporting weapons and weapon systems evokes war and prolongs suffering. More and more people have become aware of the importance of peace, especially considering the horrible impact war has on children around the world. In spite of this, Shinzo Abe’s government and Japan’s Federation of Economic Organizations (Keidanren) are behind the immoral promotion of this, giving priority to money over the lives of human beings.”

(END)