Let the Constitution guide cooperation with Asian countries for peace -- Akahata editorial, July 8

Japan signed the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia after a series of ministerial meetings by the 10 Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries and neighboring countries. Japan had long been urged by many Asian countries to sign the treaty.

However, Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro's Liberal Democratic-Komei government is acting against the wishes of the peoples of Japan and other Asian countries for peace.

Seeking war in contravention of the Amity Treaty

The Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia was concluded on the basis of the lessons of history in which Southeast Asia was torn apart by the U.S. war of aggression against Vietnam. It established fundamental principles of strictly defending the national sovereignty and equality of all nations, settling international disputes by peaceful means, and renouncing the use of force. These principles have spread to the whole of Asia as ASEAN's code of conduct and are increasing the current for peace. Joined by Papua New Guinea, China, India, and recently by Pakistan, the treaty now covers a population of 3.1 billion, a majority of the global population.

The peace provisions of the Japanese Constitution are in accord with the basic principles of the Treaty of Amity and Friendship in Southeast Asia. Only by defending the Constitution and giving life to the Constitution can Japan as a new party to the treaty contribute to building true peace in Asia in the 21st century. This is the approach that allows Japan to earn the trust of people of other Asian countries and peacefully coexist with them.

Japan has a history of aggression and colonization in Asia at the sacrifice of 3 million Japanese people as well as more than 20 million lives in other Asian countries. If Japan is to prevent the same tragedy from being committed, it must place itself in the current for peace in Asia by holding fast to the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution and playing its part through peaceful means.

However, the government has gone so far as to order the SDF deployed in Iraq to continue to carry out their missions as part of the multinational force that is assigned to use military force under U.S. command, thus stepping into a further violation of the Constitution. In its House of Councilors election platform, the LDP promised that it will complete a draft of a revised Constitution by 2005. This is a dangerous plan to faithfully accede to the U.S. demand under the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, which is a military alliance, and remake Japan into a country that can fight wars alongside the United States, carrying out a preemptive attack strategy.

This is a gross betrayal of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and the wishes of Asian people. It is natural that Asian countries be on alert and express severe criticism of Japan.

Malaysian Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman has made clear that the primary task of countries willing to participate in the building of an East Asia community for peace and cooperation is to prevent any attempt to again create a "Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere". Commenting on the 50th anniversary of the SDF, the China Youth Daily said that Japan has abandoned principles of justice in order to faithfully follow the policy of the U.S. military interventionism.

The opposition Democratic Party of Japan emphasizes the concept that "Japan is part of Asia," but its also for Article 9 to be amended so that the SDF can be dispatched abroad legally and for the Japan-U.S. military alliance to be firmly maintained. The DPJ shares the same framework with the LDP.

The Social Democratic Party is opposed to the constitutional revision, but its House of Councilors election policy statement only calls for "Japan to reduce its dependence on the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty." This means the SDP has not abandoned the basic policy of "maintaining the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty" which it established at its convention in September 1994.

Pass people's judgment in House of Councilors election

A party that stands for pacifism and national independence, the Japanese Communist Party opposed Japanese militarism and its war of aggression and colonial rule during World War II, and has criticized any great power intervention by any country. In its House of Councilors election campaign, the JCP puts forward a policy statement expressing opposition to a revision of the Constitution, demanding that the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, the source of the call for the adverse constitutional revision, be abrogated and replaced by am equal treaty status in Japan-U.S. relations. Let's join forces to make the best use of the Constitution and build a Japan that can cooperate peacefully with Asian people. (end)