Writers raise voices in opposition to war on Iraq

About 350 member writers and citizens attended a rally "Let's now think about 'war and peace'" held by the Japan P.E.N. Club in Tokyo on January 11. They exchanged views on the opposition to the U.S. plan to launch a war on Iraq.

Umehara Takeshi, the club's chair, made a speech recalling his experiences during air raids and military life in the Pacific War in which he had a narrow escape from death. "I hate any war. Why does it happen?" he asked.

Pointing out that Japan had a tradition of peace over 350 years in the Heian era and 260 years in the Edo era, Umehara stressed the need for Japan to "maintain this tradition of Japan."

Inoue Hisashi, a vice chair, spoke in criticism of the U.S. unilateralism. "As a Japanese, when I see Japan following the U.S. policy, it makes me feel that Japan is in a critical situation," he emphasized.

Miyoshi Toru, a vice chair, raised doubts about Japan's mass media giving little coverage of the recent 100,000-people anti-war rally in Washington D.C. "The press must report what is needed. Now that the world is full of the smell of a war, let's act to defend the freedom of expression," he said.

In the discussion by panelists, Matsumoto Yuko, translator of "Anne of Green Gables" said, "I want to continue to oppose the planned war, and am convinced that we Japanese have a peaceful Constitution that we can be proud of." Atoda Takashi, novelist, said, "I'm afraid that personally I'm not suited to the title of this rally, but I also think that persons of literature absolutely need to make political remarks."

Kaga Otohiko, a vice chair, in his concluding remarks said that the rally was organized in order to declare club members' wish of "No" to a U.S. war against Iraq. "The world must avoid seeing the absurd past century of wars repeated." (end)