S. Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Filipino peace organizations join
together to call on Japanese government to reconsider history textbook and Yasukuni Shrine

In Hiroshima, representatives of four Asian peace organizations attending
the 2001 World Conference against A & H Bombs on August 5 published a joint
statement calling on the Japanese government to revoke its approval of the
"New History Textbook" and the prime minister's planned visit to Yasukuni
Shrine.

The four representatives are: Niu Qiang, secretary general of the Chinese
People's Association for Peace and Disarmament, Lee Yu Jin of South Korea's
Green Korea United, Corazon Fabros, secretary general of the Nuclear-Free
Philippines Coalition, and Duy Thuy Quach from the Vietnam Peace Committee.


The text of the statement is as follows:
Working together for the abolition of nuclear weapons and firmly standing
for peace, mutual understanding, and friendship between Asian countries and
Japan, we express our deep concern and strong indignation over the Japanese
government's approval of the "New History Textbook" and the Japanese Prime
Minister's plan to visit Yasukuni Shrine.

We cannot tolerate any attempt to distort or gloss over the historical
fact of the war of aggression and of colonial domination by Japanese
militarism because it only helps undermine good neighborly relations and
mutual understanding between Japan and the rest of Asia and seriously
threaten Asian peace. If the Japanese government continues with this
attitude, it can not but be isolated in Asia and deepen the contradiction.

As an expression of solidarity with the Japanese peace movement, which is
pressing its government to truly reflect on the past war of aggression in
Asia, representatives of peace movements in Asian countries, including
China, Korea, the Philippines, and Vietnam, which were invaded and colonized
by Japanese militarism, call on the Japanese government to:
- Sincerely listen to Asian nations strongly criticizing the Japanese
government, revoke its approval of the history textbook promoted by the
"Japanese Society of History Textbook Reform" which glorifies the Japanese
war of aggression, and not repeat the same mistake in the future.
- Cancel the plan of the Prime Minister's official visit to Yasukuni
Shrine, the shrine which was used to mobilize the Japanese people to the war
of aggression and which enshrines war criminals even today.

* * *

Following is the text of the "Resolve of Japanese Peace Movement on the
Statement by Four Representatives of Peace Movements in Asia"
We welcome and fully support the statement.

The atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was unjustifiable by any
standard. At the same time, we recognize that it has close connections with
the war of aggression of Japanese militarism. The Japanese Movement against
A and H Bombs therefore has demanded that the Japanese government, while
criticizing the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, fundamentally
reflect on its past war of aggression against and colonization of Asian
countries.

There are planned actions on the occasion of the war termination, August
15th 2001. We would like to reiterate our determination to do our utmost in
order to successfully organize them. (Signed by the following persons:
Akamatsu Koichi, Japan Council against A and H Bombs; Kawai Tomoyasu,
Japan Congress of Scientists; Sato Mitsuo, Japan Council against A and H
Bombs; and Suda Hiroshi, Japan Peace Committee)
(end)