High school students say no to sending SDF to Iraq

About 20 high school students on June 18 visited the Foreign Ministry to demand that the government withdraw the bill to dispatch the SDF in order to supposedly assist in Iraq's reconstruction, handing over more than one thousand teenagers' messages calling for peace.

These students are members of the organizing committee of the national high school students' assembly for peace, which held its assembly on March 21 with about 1,500 students participating. Japanese Communist Party House of Councilors member Koizumi Chikashi was present at their representations to the ministry.

Stating that sending the SDF to Iraq is an act of assisting in the war, Shirai Maho, a high school senior and the organizing committee chair, said, "We high school students reject any war cooperation."

Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Hinode Eisuke explained that dispatching the SDF is the only way to support the reconstruction because Iraq is in a dangerous situation with combat continuing.

After the representations, one of the participants said that Japan could provide Iraq with medical assistance or could support NGOs working in Iraq. (end)