Inter-religious Conference on Article 9 of the Japanese Peace Constitution

2007 November 29 - December 1 | Tokyo, Japan

Faith leaders urge Japan to uphold Article 9

Religious leaders from various parts of the world called on the Japanese government to honour both the letter and the spirit of Article 9 of the Japanese Peace Constitution which renounces the right to wage war and any form of military aggression as a means of settling international disputes.

More than 200 representatives from Asia-Pacific, Europe and the United States made the call at the end of the Interreligious Conference on Article 9 and Peace in Asia held in Tokyo, Japan from November 29 to December 1, 2007. The event was spearheaded by the National Christian Council in Japan (NCCJ), an active partner of Peace for Life.

The conference was convened to challenge the Japanese government’s moves to amend Article 9—the so-called peace clause of the Constitution—in part as a response to US pressure for increased Japanese military support and participation in the US-led “war on terror”. Even with the restrictions of Article 9 in place, the Japanese government managed to expand its Self-Defence Forces and support US military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, which has brought Japan’s military expenditure to one of the highest in the world.

One of the objectives of the conference is to generate strategies on how to bring about peace and justice based upon the spirit of Article 9 and a commitment to non-violence in the region. It also aimed to review the role of religious communities in the promotion of peace and security.

Dr. Kim Yong-Bock, PfL co-moderator, participated in the conference on behalf of Peace for Life. Also present were PfL Continuation Committee members Dr. Chandra Muzaffar, Dr. Kinhide Mushakoji and Ms. Sharon Rose Joy Ruiz-Duremdes.

Related pages:

• Asia Inter-religious Conference on Article 9 and Peace in Asia
  (Conference Statement)
• Article 9 and Peace in Asia (Concept Paper)
• Article 9 and the Militarized World: What Can We Do? by Dr. Chandra Muzaffar