This is the translated version of the Japanese editions (No.277~279 in May 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 July 27th English version No.200
English version of A9A Bulletin and News hits 200!This version, which started on April 15th in 2006, has reached its publication of No. 200 today!
We are determined to continue this task as long as the A9A works for defending Article 9.
Nara Katsuyuki & Stuart McLelland
Spreadgrass-roots dialogue against LDP’s draft constitution
June 20thA9A public lecture discloses Abe’s plot
The A9A organized a lecture meeting on June 20thentitled“What Abe’s remarks over the constitutional revision mean” in order to accelerate our resistance to Abe’s impatient movetowards constitutional revision. About 170 people participated. One of the keynote speakers was Urata Ichiro, a professor emeritus at Hitotsubashi University. He pointed out that if the new constitution stipulates the SDF in Article 9, the effect of Clause 1 and 2 of Article 9, which are meant to put restrictions on the SDF, would become obsolete, and that if the SDF is stipulated in a mooted “Clause 3” of Article 9, it might legally possess the ability to attack military bases in other nations.
Another keynote speaker was Watanabe Osamu, a professor emeritus at Hitotsubashi University. He indicated that Abe might introduce a proposition to revise the Constitution in an ordinary session of the Diet next year. He encouraged the A9A to create a campaign to resist it.The keynote lectures are to be issued in brochure form in Japanese.
Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, following the May 3rd announcement of his intention to amend the Constitution, expressed his strong determination on June 24thto take a historic step toward a constitutional revision at a public lecture in Kobe.
In an interview with the Mainichi dated July 4th, he again directed LDP leaders to prepare for proposition of a constitutional amendment draft in the 2018 regular Diet session. He stressed his resolve to end public polemics on “unconstitutionality of the Self Defense Forces,” by clearly expressingthe phrase of “the SDF” in the wording of Article 9.
Local legislators submitting written opinions for or against constitutional revision
Some local legislators have been trying to sway public opinion in favor of constitutional revision by submitting written opinions to their local assemblies. In the past, over 2,000 local assemblies approved those documents. In Natori City in Miyagi prefecture, local legislators from Miyagi Restoration Party, Komeito Party, and former Your Party submitted a written opinion that seeks constitutional revision, but it was rejected by the assembly. On the other hand, in Ninohe City in Iwate prefecture, independent legislators and local legislators from the Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party submitted a written opinion that demands politics based on the philosophy of the Constitution. This was approved by the assembly.
23 Catchphrases on A9A posters have been sent in
The A9Aappealed to the public for catchphrases to be used on posters against constitutional amendment, designed to thwart the malicious scheming of pro-amendmentforces. To date, 23 poster drafts have been submitted to the A9A secretariat. They will be publicized in the near future.
The following are latest activities of provincial A9A groups
Shiroyama group in Nagasaki
The group organized a lecture meeting inviting people who experienced World War II as speakers on March 22ndand April 29th.
Shiogama group in Iwate
The group conducted campaigns in Tagajo City, Shiogama City, and Rifu City on June 19thto immediately abolish the war legislation and the Anti-Organized Crime Law.
Gifu group
The group conducted asilent protest in front of Gifu Station on June 23rd, which is the day a large-scale battle in Okinawa ended 72 years ago. About 100 people participated. The executive committee chairperson extended her condolences to the more than 200,000 war dead and expressed her determination to stop Japan from engaging in any future war or putting any more burden on Okinawa.
Chofu group in Tokyo
The group organized a conference to commemorate the 70thanniversary of the Constitution in Chofu City on May 20thwith the attendance of about 250 people.
Chiba medical practitioners’ group
The group held a citizens’ open lecture on July 9th to celebrate the 70th anniversary of establishment of the pacifist Constitution in Chiba City, which was entitled “Use Articles 9 and 25 to change the current “hard-to-live-in” society. Hosoyama Kimiko, vice president of Chiba health insurance doctors, said, “We celebrate the United Nation’s July 7th adoption of the ‘Nuclear Weapons Prohibition Treaty,’ and urge the Japanese government to change their obstinate negative stance.”
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