Jan 18, 2006

 

The message for stopping amendment Article 9

 

 

Since last June, six meetings to establish Yamoto Group for Article 9 have been held as we cherish eternal peace. Based on the discussions in the meetings and finalization of the draft of the message for the stopping amendment Article 9, the preparatory committee for Yamoto Group for Article 9 was found on Jan 11. We are planning to start the Group by as many supporters as possible.

 

The amendment of Constitution requires approval from majority of constituency. Each one of supporters to the Group needs to voice the importance of no amendment when national referendum takes place. We call supporters together to demonstrate our strong message for stopping amendment Article 9. We would like to send the message to you  so that supporters bring more followings.

 

We expect kick off meeting at Yamato Municipal public health and welfare center to be filled with a big crowed of supporters on Saturday, April 22. We welcome you to join the preparatory committee at Yamato municipal lifelong learning center at 6pm on Feb 11 and March 18.

 

 

Sincerely yours,

 

 

Ryuta Saito

Organizer

Preparatory Committee of Yamato Group for Article 9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jan 11, 2006

 

To establish Yamato Group for Amendment Article 9

 

The preparatory committee for Yamato Group for Amendment Article 9, with  peace in mind, would like to welcome you who support the message for stopping amendment Article 9.

 

We need majority of your supports to stop the amendment at the national referendum.

 

Preparatory committee for the Yamato Group for stopping amendment Article 9

 

*Preparatory committee is scheduled as follows

 

  Feb 11(Sat) 13:30~ Yamato Municipal lifelong learning center

  Mar 18(Sat) 18:30~ Yamato Municipal lifelong learning center

 

Kick off meeting: April 22(Sat) 13:30~

Yamato Municipal public health and welfare Center

 

Committee of Yamato Group for stopping amendment Article 9 is administrated by volunteers and funded by donation. Every decision is made by all participants at the meeting.

 

If you want to contact us;

Yamato Group for amendment article 9

Zip code 242-0006

7−2−15 Manamirinkan Yamato-City

Attention: Saito

Tel/FAX 046-272-8880 E-Mail k9yamato@js6.so-net.ne.jp

 

If you want to donate;

Yokohama Bank Minamirinkan Branch(Branch code 622)

Account # 1621415

Name of  Account holder:Kenpou 9Jyo Yamato no Kai  

Jan 11, 2006

 

The message for stopping amendment Article 9

    with eternal peace by Preparatory committee for Yamato Group for Article 9

 

Amendment Article 9 is under discussion in Japan.  Do you think it is good idea to amend article 9?

 

Summery of Article 9;  renunciation of war

(1)   peace in mind, solve international conflict without military force, renounce means of war.

(2)   To this end, no military, marine, air force, do not let Japan wage war. 

 

The government has interpreted the constitution in a way to hold self defense force and keep the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty. However, the article 9 prohibits self defense force from waging war abroad. In 2003, U.S.A waged war against Iraq as Iraq allegedly developed WMD, which turned out false. Had the article 9 been amended prior to the war, we would have to go there with weapons and kill Iraq people like British army does. As a consequence, Japanese soldier would have been killed.

 

Integral part of article 9 is about to be changed. The amendment is to eliminate the second clause and add new clause. Primary objective is to enable and oblige us to send military force overseas under the name of international contribution when our allies wage war. The first clause of the article 9  itself cannot stops military force from being sent overseas. The first clause originated from Paris treaty of renunciation of war Japan enacted in 1929 which did not work at all to keep Japan from fighting in Word War Two.  The article 9 needs both the first and the second clause together to stop our military mission overseas.

 

The Japanese constitution including article 9 was approved both in the house of representative and the house of peers with vivid memory of the horrors of war right after the end of world war two. Because of tandem of the first and second clause in the article 9, ban on export of arms as well as three antinuclear principles became international public commitments which have kept Japan from killing other people and being killed by others in war. Post the World War Two history of Japan is honorable. We should proud of this and have to stop amendment at all cost. Resident of Yamato city have lived with military base which made us feel horror of war and military as real. In Kanagawa prefecture alone, there were as many as 62 military aircraft crashes and 54 emergency forced landings.  In April 1964, 4 citizens were killed and 31 were injured by air crash in our neighbor, Machida city and 5 months later two infants and their mother in residential house were killed by air crash in Midori ward, Yokohama City. There have been a lot of air crashes and forced landings like these. The tragedy must be stopped.

 

Citizens in Yamato are exposed to loud noise caused by helicopter and air force everyday, day and night.  Fighter jets generate extremely big noise to which sound proof windows and walls did not solve. We are acquainted with lots of American military personnel and Self Defense Force members. We neither want them to kill enemies, invade other countries nor being killed.

 

The amendment of the Article 9 must be stopped now.     

 

Article 9

 

1)  Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as a means of settling international disputes.

 

2)  In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.