“Full of courtesy, full of craft” — Prime Minister Shinzo Abe rejects A-bomb survivor opposing “exercise of collective self-defense right” as difference of view
As for see the speech of Mrs. Miyako Jodai, representative of A-bomb survivors, in Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony, please see this article.
Masatoshi
Takeshita
August
11, 2014
English translation of the excerpt from a
Japanese article: Back Story of Political Economy Not Reported by Mass Media
– August 11, 2014 –
“Full
of courtesy, full of craft” — Prime Minister Shinzo Abe rejects A-bomb
survivor opposing “exercise of collective self-defense right as difference of
view
In the 69th Peace Memorial
Ceremony to commemorate the 69th anniversary of the U.S. atomic
bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, Mayor Tomihisa Taue said: “In the wake
of debates about our country’s exercise of its right of collective
self-defense, various opinions on how security as peaceful state should be have
been exchanged. Nagasaki has continued
to cry, ‘No More Nagasaki’ and ‘No More War.’
The oath
prescribed in the Japanese Constitution that Japan shall ‘renounce war’ is the
founding principle for A-bombed nation Japan and A-bombed city Nagasaki. A-bomb survivors
have continued to appeal for peace by telling their own experiences. However, the rushed debate over collective
self-defense has risen to the fears and anxiety that this principle is wavering. I urgently request that the Japanese
government take serious heed of these distressed voices.” In the peace memorial ceremony
held in Hiroshima on August 6, Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui said: “The
Japanese government should accept the full weight of the fact that the country
has avoided war for 69 years thanks to the noble pacifism of the Japanese
Constitution” but he didn’t directly mention the “acceptance to exercise the
right of collective self-defense.” In
contrast with him, Mayor Taue made courageous remarks.
Even more impressively, Mrs. Miyako Jodai,
75, declared “an Oath to Peace” as representative of A-bomb survivors, in which
she harshly criticized Prime Minister Shizo Abe.
“A-bombed nation Japan is obliged to take the initiative
as a world leader. However, I doubt that
the current Japanese government is playing the role. The drive to allow the country to exercise the
right to collective self-defense is an outrageous move that treads on the
spirit of the Constitution. Does
it mean that Japan will be allowed to make war and will be protected by
force? Production and
export of weapons is the road to war.
History has proven that a war inevitably causes another war. Please don’t threaten the future of young
people and children. Please don’t forget
or deny A-bomb survivors’ sufferings.
In Fukushima, people who have not yet come home due to
radiation contamination caused by the nuclear power plant accident are forced
to live in temporary housing or be evacuated to other places. Some parents and children, who are diagnosed
with of childhood thyroid cancer, are frightened and suffer a lot. Given the situation, is it allowed to restart
the operation of nuclear power plants?
How to dispose of used nuclear fuel is unknown. We should immediately discuss disposal methods
and decommissioning reactors.”
In response to this, Prime Minister Abe gave an empty
message, which seemed to be duplicated from the message given in the
peace memorial ceremony held on
August 9, 2013. It has caused a
booing from many Japanese. In short, the words of
Prime Minister Abe show that he is an example of “full of courtesy,
full of craft” (which means that those who are good talkers and flatter
anyone are less faithful and lack compassion for others, which is the most
important virtue as human) and he has no cordiality.
I am surprised at the attitude of Prime Minister Abe
showed when he listened to requests from five A-bomb survivors’ groups. In an article “Collective self-defense right:
Survivors ‘We don’t get it’ Prime Minister Abe ‘Different Opinions” of morning
edition dated August 10, the Asahi reports as follows:
“On the occasion of request to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
from five A-bomb Survivors’ groups, the main theme was collective
self-defense. He responded, saying “I am
sure that we’ll the public’s understanding by making efforts to carefully
explain (about the collective self-defense).
After the meeting, one of the A-bomb survivors spoke to him,
saying “We don’t understand your explanation.”
The prime minister said with a straight face: “It’s a difference of view”
and left the meeting place.
Sumiteru Taniguchi, Chairman of Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors Council,
make a face, saying “the country has proceeded in a direction opposite to
A-bomb survivors’ appeal since the inauguration of the Abe administration.”
If he keeps up this recklessness, Prime Minister Shinzo
Abe is likely to say: “We don’t hesitate to possess nuclear weapons to deter
war.”
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