Today, the Global Article 9 Campaign has launched an international petition to ask Prime Minister Abe not to amend Japan’s Peace clause.
This initiative seeks to highlight the global support for war-renouncing Article 9 and to contribute to ensuring that global voices in support of Japan’s peace constitution are heard in the lead up to the July 21 elections of the Upper House of the Diet, as several parties, notably Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party, have made constitutional revision a priority as part of their electoral platform.
The petition’s key message includes:
– the support for Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution and opposition to the push to amend it;
– a call to the Prime Minister and his administration to nurture Japan as a peaceful nation rather than choose the path of militarism;
– and an appeal to listen to the growing international movement that recognizes the value of Japan’s peace clause as a peace mechanism, as an ideal to which people aspire and as a model to follow.
About the Global Article 9 Campaign
Launched in 2005 by a coalition of civil society organizations in Japan, the Global Article 9 Campaign seeks not only to locally protect Article 9; it also acts to educate people around the world about existing international peace mechanisms such as Japan’s Constitution and encourage governments to work towards disarmament, demilitarization and a culture of peace.
In recent years, a strong international network of NGOs and individuals, including Nobel Peace Laureates and key international figures, has formed in support of the campaign. This growing international movement and support makes clear that the world values Article 9 as an ideal to which all people aspire, and as a model to follow.
For the petition: http://www.change.org/petitions/prime-minister-shinzo-abe-save-japan-s-peace-constitution
About the Global Article 9 Campaign: http://www.article-9.org
For enquiries, contact: Peace Boat (Secretariat of the Global Article 9 Campaign)
Kawasaki Akira Kawasaki@peaceboat.gr.jp +81 (0)90 8310 5370
Meri Joyce Meri@peaceboat.gr.jp +81 (0)80 3457 9714
Download this press release as a PDF here.
Download the petition here as a PDF.
Japanese language information can be seen here
By Michelle Terazawa