The New Socialist Party (NSP) has issued a declaration to celebrate the 76th anniversary of enforcement of the Constitution of Japan.
Current realities could lead to a nightmare that ‘the Self Defense Forces of Japan should unleash a war jointly with the US military’. The NSP was founded so that such a terrifying event must not be actual. This is the party’s first resolution.
However, the government of Japan has not only thrown away the stance of exclusively defensive posture, but also crossed over a threshold where this nation could execute the right of collective self-defense. The Abe administration coercively approved the so-called war legislation in 2015. That means a moment when Japan was integrated into the strategy of the United States of America, which can no longer solely keep its hegemonic power to reign the world.
The Russian invasion into Ukraine, firstly, cannot be allowed. And the prolonged conflict is damaging peace in the whole world. The New Socialist Party demands an immediate withdrawal of the Russian troops, wishing peaceful coexistence of the two nations as well as among other multiple countries.
Meanwhile, however, the Kishida government actively commits in containing China militarily and economically by stirring up an imaginary emergency in the Taiwan area, taking advantage of the Russian operation. The administration of Japan revised the three documents on national defense last December, which advocates a war strategy. It has involved in the plan to surge military budgets up to 2% of the GDP by the fiscal 2027.
The government’s behaviors of today means that peace-supporting civic forces have been backlashed due to the collapse of a ‘united base of pro-constitution opposition parties’ forged by the people’s resistance against enactment of a series of laws in 2015 with the government’s coercion to wage a war.
Simultaneously, in the midst when people say ‘another authoritarian regime has emerged like in pre-war days’, workers have been exposed to deteriorated employment conditions, while the elite have seized power and wealth for their own profits. We have an enormous number of problems to be well settled. In addition, in both of the House of Representatives and the House of Councilors, lawmakers who want to amend the Peace Constitution have kept the majority of seats.
Until today peace in the country has been secured by the Constitution. From today it is people that should secure and make good use of the supreme law. Peace does not mean simply that war is not there.
Peace means people can lead a calm and safe life each day and have hopes for tomorrow. Only when such a lifestyle should extend to every corner of the world, we could build up a society without a war.
People worry about the climate crisis. Time is not left enough. A war is the worst environmental destroyer, driving people to the abyss of despair.
During the WWII over 3 million people perished only in Japan. The Constitution was proclaimed as an oath not to engage in warfare, a determination not to go to a war and a resolution to respect the people’s sovereignty and fundamental human rights in order to let everyone live in prosperity. The Constitution vows the three principles. Let’s build a society in which these ideals are honored.
Celebrating the 76th anniversary of enforcement of the Constitution, the New Socialist Party pledges anew that we will strive to rebuild a joint front of pro-constitution parties, not limiting to working during election periods, and to encourage mass movements to support each one of people to overcome individual hardships, renewing a call on all of people.
2023年5月3日 新社会党
「自衛隊が米軍と共同で戦争を開始した」
そのような悪夢の現実化が迫っています。新社会党はその事態を招かないことを初心の一つとして結党しました。しかし、専守防衛すら投げ捨てて、2015年に集団的自衛権に踏み込む戦争法制を安倍政権が強行しました。それは単独では世界の覇権を維持し得ない米国の戦略に組み込まれた瞬間といえます。
もとより、ロシアのウクライナ侵攻は許されるものではなく、戦争の長期化が世界の平和を損なっており、新社会党はロシア軍の即時撤退と両国間・多国間の平和共存を求めるものです。
他方、ロシアの侵攻を利用し、台湾海峡有事を喧伝することで、岸田政権は軍事的・経済的な対中包囲網に積極的に参画し、戦争戦略といえる「防衛三文書」を更新し、27年度に軍事費を対GDP比2%にする計画の実行に入りました。これは戦争法制強行に対する国民的反発から生まれた「立憲野党の共闘」が崩され、平和勢力が後退していることからくるものです。
しかも「新しい戦前」の到来が叫ばれる中、雇用の劣化と富や権力の私物化など、何としても解決しなければならない課題が山積しています。また、衆参両院とも改憲派が発議に必要な議席を確保し続けています。
これまで日本の平和は憲法によって守られてきました。これからは国民が憲法を守り、活かす番です。それも単に戦争が起きていないという平和であってはなりません。日々を安心して暮らし、明日への希望があってこそ平和であり、それが全世界に及んで初めて戦争のない社会を築けます。
気候危機が叫ばれ、その対策にも残された時間はありません。戦争は最大の環境破壊であり、人々を不幸のどん底に突き落とします。
日本人だけで300万人以上の犠牲の上につくられた不戦の誓い、戦争を起こさず、誰もが豊かに暮らすための国民主権と基本的人権の尊重、この憲法三原則を活かす社会を多くの皆さんと共に築くこと、そのためにこそ選挙時だけでない立憲野党の共闘の再構築や、一人ひとりに寄り添い、その人の持つ困難を乗り越える日常的な運動を広めることを、新社会党は憲法施行76周年の日に改めて誓い、呼びかけます。
英訳版↓
May 3 - Day of Constitution
Declaration of the New Socialist Party of Japan
The New Socialist Party (NSP) has issued a declaration to celebrate the 76th anniversary of enforcement of the Constitution of Japan.
Current realities could lead to a nightmare that ‘the Self Defense Forces of Japan should unleash a war jointly with the US military’. The NSP was founded so that such a terrifying event must not be actual. This is the party’s first resolution.
However, the government of Japan has not only thrown away the stance of exclusively defensive posture, but also crossed over a threshold where this nation could execute the right of collective self-defense. The Abe administration coercively approved the so-called war legislation in 2015. That means a moment when Japan was integrated into the strategy of the United States of America, which can no longer solely keep its hegemonic power to reign the world.
The Russian invasion into Ukraine, firstly, cannot be allowed. And the prolonged conflict is damaging peace in the whole world. The New Socialist Party demands an immediate withdrawal of the Russian troops, wishing peaceful coexistence of the two nations as well as among other multiple countries.
Meanwhile, however, the Kishida government actively commits in containing China militarily and economically by stirring up an imaginary emergency in the Taiwan area, taking advantage of the Russian operation. The administration of Japan revised the three documents on national defense last December, which advocates a war strategy. It has involved in the plan to surge military budgets up to 2% of the GDP by the fiscal 2027.
The government’s behaviors of today means that peace-supporting civic forces have been backlashed due to the collapse of a ‘united base of pro-constitution opposition parties’ forged by the people’s resistance against enactment of a series of laws in 2015 with the government’s coercion to wage a war.
Simultaneously, in the midst when people say ‘another authoritarian regime has emerged like in pre-war days’, workers have been exposed to deteriorated employment conditions, while the elite have seized power and wealth for their own profits. We have an enormous number of problems to be well settled. In addition, in both of the House of Representatives and the House of Councilors, lawmakers who want to amend the Peace Constitution have kept the majority of seats.
Until today peace in the country has been secured by the Constitution. From today it is people that should secure and make good use of the supreme law. Peace does not mean simply that war is not there.
Peace means people can lead a calm and safe life each day and have hopes for tomorrow. Only when such a lifestyle should extend to every corner of the world, we could build up a society without a war.
People worry about the climate crisis. Time is not left enough. A war is the worst environmental destroyer, driving people to the abyss of despair.
During the WWII over 3 million people perished only in Japan. The Constitution was proclaimed as an oath not to engage in warfare, a determination not to go to a war and a resolution to respect the people’s sovereignty and fundamental human rights in order to let everyone live in prosperity. The Constitution vows the three principles. Let’s build a society in which these ideals are honored.
Celebrating the 76th anniversary of enforcement of the Constitution, the New Socialist Party pledges anew that we will strive to rebuild a joint front of pro-constitution parties, not limiting to working during election periods, and to encourage mass movements to support each one of people to overcome individual hardships, renewing a call on all of people.
May 3, 2023
New Socialist Party of Japan