Shinfujin Taking Active Part in the "Abolish Nuclear Weapons
Now!" Signature Campaign Throughout Japan
Next year will mark the 60th anniversary of the atomic bombing
of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Based on the experience of having
collected 10 million signatures for the Appeal from Hiroshima
and Nagasaki that called for the abolition of nuclear weapons,
the New Japan Women's Association (Shinfujin) members are
actively carrying out nationwide the "Abolish Nuclear Weapons
Now!" signature campaign, launched by the 2003 World Conference
against A & H Bombs. Apart from their families and friends,
Shinfujin members are gaining support for the petition from
broader sections of people, visiting schools, women's groups,
and elderly people's associations in their communities.
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| NJWA
members in Hiroshima collecting signatures |
Young women and children who have heard testimonies of A-bomb
and war survivors are becoming actively involved in the signature
campaign. After hearing the story of the A-bomb survivor,
six-graders in Kishiwada City, Osaka Prefecture, felt the
strong need to do something for themselves. They made paper
cranes and collected 1600 signatures in for the "Abolish Nuclear
Weapons Now!" petition. Young mothers who are Shinfujin members
were so moved by the testimony of an A-bomb survivor in their
community that they participated in the Peace March carrying
their small children or wheeling baby buggies. One of them
collected 25 signatures. Another member presented A-bomb pictures
to the school where her child attends, and was deeply appreciated
by the principal. Shinfujin will increase its effort in the
signature collecting, promoting activities to make damages
of war and the atomic bombing widely known, particularly to
younger generations.
Nationwide Actions to Defend the Peace Constitution
Shinfujin has taken actions all over the country voicing against
the war on Iraq, and calling for the immediate withdrawal
of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces from Iraq and for Japan's
contribution to the reconstruction of Iraq in the way becoming
of the country with the Peace Constitution.
Alerted by the current moves that not only the ruling Liberal
Democratic Party but also the biggest opposition Democratic
Party are openly speaking about revising the war-renouncing
Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, efforts for networking
activities and cooperation to defend the Constitution are
widely developing. On June 10, 2004, nine Japanese public
figures, including writers, scholars and critics formed the
"Article 9 Committee." The purpose was to serve as a gathering
place for all the people wishing to defend Article 9 and help
increase popular movements. The Committee will work to spread
support among people of all walks of life. Shinfujin president
TAKADA Kimiko has signed up for the appeal.
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Aware of the importance of learning what the Constitution
says, Shinfujin members have started organizing study meetings
in their communities, using Shinfujin's Constitution Handbook
and the reprinted edition of the "About the New Constitution,"
which originally was published by the Ministry of Education
in 1946, with the aim of driving home the new Constitution
to the Japanese public. Through learning the contents of the
Constitution, young members with small children have come
to feel the Constitution much familiar to them, and many of
them have realized the need to defend it, so that their children
will not be driven into war.
Along with the study activity, Shinfujin members are making
different campaign goods such as tapestries carrying the texts
of the preamble and Article 9 of the Constitution, and Article
9 banners. Among other activities are issuing of an appeal
calling for opposition to the dispatch of the SDF to Iraq
and to the adverse revision of the Constitution, signed on
by prominent figures in communities, and collecting short
messages against the constitutional amendment. A Shinfujin
branch in Chiba prefecture set off an advertising balloon
with a slogan "No Adverse Revision of the Constitution" on
it. It drew a lot of attention from the residents. Encouraged
by this success, branch members are making a big progress
in the signature campaign.
As a UN accredited NGO, Shinfujin Takes Every Opportunity
to Call for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons and the Establishment
of International Order for Peace
In May 2003, Shinfujin was granted the special consultative
status with the United Nations Social and Economic Council.
From a viewpoint of "No peace, no gender equality," Shinfujin
in UN conferences on women's issues and other occasions calls
for the abolition of nuclear weapons and the establishment
of a peace order in accordance with the UN Charter to achieve
a world without war and terrorism. With the Japanese government,
a blind follower of the U.S. government, failing to take initiative
in the international community as the government of a country
with Peace Constitution in preventing conflicts and realizing
world peace, our activity as an NGO to make voices of women
of the A-bombed country heard has greater significance than
ever.
In Japan today, the forces aiming to revise the Constitution
to make Japan a war-waging nation are pushing forward the
"backlash" in the effort for achieving women's equality. Attaching
great emphasis to the role of the family, Japanese culture
and traditional, and patriotism, they are attacking women's
right to self-determination in sex, and obstructing the effort
of local governments to promote gender equality. In 2005,
with the 60th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima
and Nagasaki, the review conference on the Nuclear Non-proliferation
Treaty will take place. Also, it will be a year of special
importance to the women's movement as Beijing + 10. The UN
will review the 10-year implementation of the Beijing Platform
for Action, an international agreement on what should be done
for women's empowerment and equality. Developing united effort
in the women's movement, Shinfujin will take active part in
the "Beijing + 10" process addressing the issues of gender
equality and peace as inseparable tasks.
