A Diet change that's bad for the Japanese Constitution

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May 2007

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A Diet change that's bad for the Japanese Constitution
As Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dined with President Bush at the White House on April 26, U.S. religious leaders, in support of broad sectors of the religious community and civil society groups in Japan, protested outside in hopes of saving Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution. Article 9, the aptly named “peace clause” of Japan’s 1946 constitution, states that “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.” Prime Minister Abe, with the support and encouragement of the Bush Administration, has been campaigning to eliminate Article 9 and move forward with Japan’s remilitarization and integration into the U.S. “war on terrorism.”

The protest outside the White House was the latest action in a global campaign in support of Article 9. Prior to the protest, delegates representing hundreds of U.S. religious organizations will deliver letters in support of Article 9 to the Japanese embassy and request that they be hand-delivered to the Prime Minster prior to his meeting with President Bush.

“[W]e uphold Article 9 of the Constitution of Japan as a unique and powerful contribution to international peace and security,” states the organizational sign-on letter circulated by the campaign prior to the Prime Minister’s visit. “The prospect of its elimination not only greatly saddens us, but also makes us fear for regional stability and harmony.” [Click here for a copy of the organizational sign-on letter and a partial list of signatories.]

In recent months, the Bush Administration has made clear its hope for Japan to alter its Constitution to allow its military to be integrated into the U.S. security strategy in the Asia-Pacific region. But religious leaders in Japan, including the Japanese Catholic Bishops’ Conference, have clearly stated that policy decisions made by Japan will likely have profound reverberations throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

“Japan already has one of the largest military budgets in the world, and without constitutional limits, Japan could pose a serious threat to neighboring Asian countries,” said the Most Reverend Joseph M. Takami, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Nagasaki. “A new arms race could emerge. In fact, last fall, a ranking Japanese political figure even suggested that Japan should consider possessing nuclear weapons.”

U.S religious leaders echo the sentiments of their counterparts across the Pacific.

“Article 9 provides a more effective and true path to peace and stability in the region than force of arms ever could,” stated Bishop Gabino Zavala, auxiliary bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles and bishop president of Pax Christi USA. “By renouncing war and aggressive use of military force, Japan has become a cornerstone for regional security. In the sixty years since the end of World War II, not a single person has died as a result of Japanese state aggression.”

Columban Father Frank Carroll, who recently returned from ministering and living 43 years in Japan, emphasized that “although the Japanese government is attempting to restrict public debate on the deletion of Article 9 and is fast-tracking legislation to eliminate it, the populace fiercely regard this peace clause of their constitution as a ‘treasure’ and an essential contribution to world peace.”

As nations struggle in this current climate to find ways to coexist peacefully, Archbishop Takami notes the unique contribution that Article 9 offers.

“If there was ever a time when alternatives to war are needed, as we most notably see in the downward spiral that violence has wrought in Iraq, it is now.”

For more information on the campaign to save Article 9, go to www.paxchristiusa.org

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