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Resolution justifying Japan's war of aggression railroaded through House of Representatives

The ruling Liberal Democratic and Komei parties, the Democratic Party of Japan, and the Social Democratic Party in the House of Representatives used their majority to adopt a resolution on the 60th anniversary of the end of WWII virtually justifying Japan's war of aggression. In the Lower House plenary session on August 2, the JCP voted against the resolution.

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo at a news conference on the same day published the following statement in protest of the adoption of the resolution. He says:

1. The LDP, Komei, the DPJ and the SDP today railroaded through the House of Representatives plenary session a resolution on the 60th anniversary of the end of WWII.

When the draft resolution was first proposed, the JCP called for an explicit statement of Japan's self-criticism of its war of aggression and colonization, so long it is a resolution on the "60th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, the end of the war in Japan, and its being atomic-bombed."

The final draft proposed by the LDP, the DPJ, and Komei, however, added the phrase "recalling the resolution to renew the determination for peace on the basis of lessons learned from history," instead of accepting the JCP proposal.

The resolution adopted by the House of Representatives ten years ago was problematic in that it described the world war as the consequence of the world powers' "acts of aggression" and "colonial rule," and described Japan as merely following their lead so as not to be blamed in particular. Its tone was that "both sides are to blame," putting the aggressor countries and anti-fascist counter forces in the same category, virtually trying to justify Japan's war of aggression. This 50th anniversary resolution was adopted by a majority of the ruling coalition made up of the LDP, the Socialist Party of Japan (SDPJ) and Sakigake. The JCP voted against it, and pointed out serious problems with it.

2. The inclusion in the 60th anniversary resolution of the phrase to "recall" the resolution of a decade ago means that the current resolution is also justifying Japan's war of aggression.

It is a serious problem that the resolution adopted to commemorate the 60th year of the end of WWII outrageously expresses justification of Japan's war of aggression and that all parties except for the JCP allowed it to be adopted.

The resolution is also devoted to commemorating the 60th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. The starting point of the United Nations was in severely condemning Japan and Germany for their wars of aggression and in determining that such errors not be repeated. The 60th anniversary resolution of the House of Representatives denied this starting point of the postwar international community.

What is more, this resolution conflicts with even the government's proclaimed position. On the postwar 50th anniversary, then Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama expressed remorse and apologies for aggression and colonial rule. Prime Minister Koizumi in an Asia-Africa Summit in April made similar remarks. The Diet resolution is completely opposite to what the government publicly stated before.

The JCP protests against the adoption of this Diet resolution.

3. Presently, the belligerent attitude of the government toward Japan's war in the past, including the prime minister's insistence on visiting Yasukuni Shrine, is drawing severe criticism from Asia and the rest of the world, as well as from Japanese. For the Diet, the highest organ of state power, to adopt at such a time as this the resolution justifying Japan's war of aggression, will leave a major stain in the parliamentary history.

The JCP will continue to do its utmost to not allow the adverse currents to continue arrogantly distorting historical facts. -- Akahata August 3, 2005