This is the translated version of the Japanese edition (No.219 dated October 21st, 2015). It is published by Katsuyuki Naraof the New English Teachers Association (or Shin-Eiken, )and Stuart McClelland. The translationis on our own．
Uploaded on October 23rd, 2015 English version No. 153
A9A secretariat discussion meeting held
What we should learn from the latest anti-war legislation campaign
On October 15ththe A9A secretariat held a meeting of regional and occupational groups to discuss what we should learn from the past three-year-long campaign against the war legislation after Prime Minister Abe Shinzo formed the 2nd Cabinet in 2013. About 70 people took part. First, secretariat member Watanabe Osamu made a report on the past A9A groups’ activities around the country, and attending members of the groups discussed it. Lastly the secretariat-general Komori Yoichi summed up the discussion.
Watanabe made a report on the past activities in the chronological order given below.
2013
March : Abe Shinzoformed 2ndCabinet
October 7th : A9A published an appeal against “Abe cabinet’s plan to make Japan a war waging country” through use of collective self-defense rights.
November 16th : A9A national exchange meeting
2014
July 7th : Abe Shinzomade a cabinet decision on recognition of use of collective self-defense rights.
A9A issued an appeal against the decision.
October 7th : A9A held a study meeting on the cabinet decision.
November 24th : A9A staged a rally and a city parade in Tokyo.
2015
February 23rd : A9A issued an appeal against war legislation to be raised by the Abe Cabinet.
May 15th : Abe Cabinet submitted war-bills to the parliament.
May 16th : A9A held a study meeting against the bills.
September 19th :Abe Cabinet forcibly enacted the bills after railroading the bills through the Upper House against the majority of people’s opinion.
Komori Yoichi’s summing up of the discussion is given below.
During the long struggle against the war legislation, every A9A group continued to do its best. Tasks that lie ahead of us are strengthening struggles for repealing the war legislation. We believe the May 1st“Appeal and action plan” the secretariat raised can now be used just the way it used to. What we should do in our future campaign will be raised by A9A founderson November 13th public lecture.
As for a signature collection campaign for abolishing the war legislation, we would like to use the one the executive committee of national all-out campaign against the laws will make in the near future. The signature campaign is going to aim at gaining 20 million signatures. The November 13thlecture is also a place where we will follow the aspirations of late founder Tsurumi Shunsuke as well as a rally where we will determine new action plans. We would like to make it success.
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