SAVE ARTICLE 9

Posted in JAPAN TODAY July 19, 2015
Some readers have suggested that Article 9 become a part of the U.S. Constitution. Well, good thinking. Actually the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom is currently campaigning for a resolution to bring a version of Article 9 as an amendment to the U.S. Constitution. In addition WILPF and Veterans For Peace are sponsoring filmmaker David Rothauser’s new film. “Article 9 Comes to America,” featuring Noam Chomsky, Helen Caldicott, Freeman Dyson, John Dower and Robert J. Lifton. This film and Mr. Rothauser’s earlier film, “Hibakusha, Our Life to Live,” was shown at the United Nations Non-Proliferation Conference on May 14 and 15, 2015. Dear readers, it should be remembered that we are still living in the nuclear age. Mr. Abe wants to re-arm Japan to become a “normal” player on the world stage. If Japan abolishes the peace constitution, she will need to compete with the other industrial nations who are normal world players. All of those normal nations are proponents of nuclear weapons. In order to compete will Japan need to develop nuclear weapons? Do China, both Koreas, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia want Japan to develop nuclear weapons? Closer to home let’s ask Chiba, Kanagawa, Saitama, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Nagasaki? How about Okinawa? Do Okinawan people need nuclear weapons? Fukushima? Every minute of every day these normal nations play nuclear roulette with human lives. The leaders of those nations are too young to remember World War Two. Too young to know what a nuclear holocaust means. Not only is the survival of Article 9 at stake, the survival of life on the planet is being threatened by the addiction of Mr. Abe and other leaders just like him. Many critics doubt the reality of Japan’s peace constitution. Be that as it may. But there is no doubting that Japan has not attacked anyone nor lost one soldier or civilian to war making in 68 years. That is fact. As the Vietnam war veteran, Alan Nelson lectured to Japanese children, “Article 9 has saved your lives. Now it is time for you to save Article 9.” Heiwa!

Advertisement

Article 9 Is a World Treasure

ARTICLE 9 COMES TO AMERICA a new film by David Rothauser

Sponsored by Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Article 9 Comes to America is a film about bringing a version of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution as an amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Article 9, written by U.S. occupation forces in 1946 states that Japan will never again make war. Japan has not made war in 68 years. It is a legacy and a template for the world to consider following.

The film consists of discussions and interviews with leading proponents of Article 9, peace activists, academics and a right wing intellectual who challenges their ideas about peace. Thematically its about the struggle between the U.S., the Japanese government and the Japanese people for the soul of Japan. Who wins is currently being debated every day as the Japanese Prime Minister pushes to abolish Article 9 so Japan may become a “normal” military player on the world stage.
We have filmed representatives from Japan, Okinawa and the U.S. including Noam Chomsky, Helen Caldicott, Freeman Dyson, John Dower, Hideki Yoshikawa, Peter Kuznick, Ann Wright and a host of others from the Global Article 9 Conference in Osaka.