This is the translated version of the Japanese editions (No.260 dated January11th and No.261 dated January 21st, 2017). It is published by Katsuyuki Nara of the New English Teachers Association (or Shin-Eiken, ) and Stuart McLelland. The translation is on our own．
Uploaded January 25th English version No.194Work together to force the Abe administration to quit
Standing protests were conducted on January 3rd throughout Japan reacting to a callfrom one of the A9A founders, Sawachi Hisae. The participants raised placards that say “We do not accept the Abe administration.” In Tokyo, the protest was held in front of the main gate of the National Diet building from 1:00 pm,attracting about 150 people including comedian Matsumoto Hiro and writer Watanabe Kazue. Sawachi expressed her resolution to force the Abe administration to resign due to protests as one of the strategies of the A9A. Matsumoto criticized the Defense Minister, Inada Tomomi, for her visit to Yasukuni Shrine, which was carried out just after she visited Pearl Harbor with the Prime Minister Abe Shinzo.
The following are activities of provincial A9A groups.
Aomori group
The group conducted a standing protest on December 20th in a park in Aomori City to demand an immediate withdrawal of the Japan Self-Defense Forces unit from South Sudan. 17 people joined the appeal in spite of the freezing weather.
Aomori City group
The group held a study meeting inviting Kanazawa Shigeru, a lawyer and a representative of Aomori A9A, as the speaker. The title was “The true color of Nihon-Kaigi or Japan Conference and the true aims of SDF’s dispatch to South Sudan.” Kanazawa said that the Abe administration is a special administration that is controlled by Nihon-Kaigi, which has a right-wing agenda.
Tochigi group
The group organized a public lecture on December 11th in Utsunomiya City inviting Sugihara Yasuo, a professor emeritus at Hitotsubashi University. About 100 people took part in the lecture. The title was “Constitutionalism embodied in the Constitution of Japan andthe progress of tyranny in Japan.”
Taki group in Mie
The group held a study meeting on December 17 at a temple in Taki City inviting a lawyer who belongs to a lawyers’ group called asu-no-jiyu-wo-mamoru-wakate-bengoshi-no-kai or “a group of young lawyers who are determined to protect our freedom” if it is directly translated. 28 people participated. The lawyer said that the draft of constitutional amendment created by the LDP deviates from the original philosophy of the constitution,and that the Constitution is a supreme law meant to control the power of the state and protectthe rights of the people.
Hamura group in Tokyo
The group requested the mayor of Hamura City on December 16th to stop American military Osprey from flying over the city and from being stationed in the Yokota Air Base, a United States Air Force base, which is located in the city.
Tagajo group in Miyagi
The group held a standing protest called “We’ll never tolerate the Abe government” in front of electric appliance outlet “Yamada Denki.” A Nanagahama municipal assembly member participated. Many drivers passing by waved to the campaigners. They carried out the same campaign on January 8th.
Tokyo-Koganei group
They staged a standing protest: “We won’t tolerate the Abe Cabinet!” in front of JR Musashi-Koganei Station. 18 members took part. This kind of protest against the Abe Cabinet’s authoritarian government started when writer Sawachi Hisae proposed it the year before last. In addition to the “ekimae standing protest”, the number of private houses around the country displaying the sticker saying “No more Abe Cabinet” on their entrance wall is on the increase.
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