Shii makes 3 pledges for peace on August 15th marking WWII's end

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Shii makes 3 pledges for peace on August 15^th marking WWII's end

On August 15 marking the 64th anniversary of the end of World War II, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo expressed three commitments to peace: rejection of any justification of Japan's past war of aggression, defending the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution, and making the effort to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons.

Shii made the remark in his speech in Tokyo's suburban city of Kichijoji.

He opened his speech by offering condolences to more than 20 million Asians and more than 3.1 million Japanese who died during the Japanese war of aggression.

Saying, "Yasukuni Shrine, the symbol of the war of aggression, still maintains its distorted historical view that glorifies Japan's past conduct," Shii criticized the 40 Dietmembers of the Liberal Democratic Party and the Democratic Party of Japan, including a cabinet minister and two ex-prime ministers, for having visited the shrine on the same day.

Shii argued that true friendship with other Asian peoples is possible only when Japan accepts responsibility for its past wrongdoing and resolving to not repeat the same mistake.

Emphasizing that Article 9 of the Constitution represents this determination, Shii said, "War cannot eliminate terrorism. Japan's real contribution to peace must be by taking a lead in diplomatic efforts to resolve international disputes guided by Article 9."

Referring to the growing global calls for zero-nuclear weapons, as shown in the speech by U.S. President Barack Obama, Shii condemned the Japanese government for insisting on the need to be defended by the U.S. "nuclear umbrella."

He went on to say, "More than anybody else, Japan understands clearly how horrible nuclear weapons are. It is impermissible for that government to still cling to the policy of nuclear deterrence which justifies threatening other countries with the possible use of such weapons. Japan can display an initiative in the global effort to achieve a world without nuclear weapons only by becoming a nuclear weapons free country."

Regarding the party name, he said, "All Japanese political parties except for the JCP had to change their names after the war because they had taken part in the war of aggression."

"The JCP tenaciously opposed the war, and thus the wartime regime cracked down on it as being unpatriotic. Despite losing many members during wartime, it kept its peace banner aloft. This is the essence of the Japanese Communist Party. Its name is linked with 87 years of opposition to war and support for peace."

- Akahata, August 17, 2009