Campaigns have started for the 26th round of Upper House election. The New Socialist Party (NSP) has fielded Ms Okazaki Saiko, who is listed as the NSP’s candidate for the proportional representation channel in the joint name list of the Social-Democratic Party (SDP). Today, people earnestly need a third pole of defending the Constitution. Under the circumstances the NSP is making the best efforts to win in the election.
LET’S EXERT MAXIMUM POWER TO BUILD THIRD POLE OF DEFENDING CONSTITUTION
Responding to the results of the last general election held in October 2021, constitutional opposite parties are in enormous turmoil.
The opposition forces are not successful, in the current election, in sharing common candidates in the 32 single-seated constituencies, except for 12 districts. Main reasons for failure lie, without doubt, in the confusions inside the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP), but, in other words, the fact reflects that the conservatives fear of united strength of citizens with the opposition political parties.
Answer that Article Nine indicates
Simultaneously, certain uneasiness has been brought in both among Japanese citizens and the opposition political groups by the Russian incursion to Ukraine. Propaganda fiercely continues now, saying that ‘it is necessary to build up military strength, if you do not want to be a Ukraine’.
The tragic realities in Ukraine today, however, shows a correct answer toward this kind of propaganda, doesn’t it? European countries intensify military supports to that nation, but due to their supplies the war prolongs and people face deaths there. The more prevails military power, the more sheds blood of people, who are not responsible for the war.
There are two ways: a solution to a conflict between the states without military means and an armed conflict = war, which might lead to a nuclear war. It is very clear which is more realistic and which is more reasonable in order to reach a settlement.
Here we can find prophetic wisdom of Article Nine of the Constitution, which is superiority of non-armed neutrality that the former Socialist Party of Japan had firmly maintained. You can see examples of Costa Rica in Latin America and the nations in Southeast Asia.
Let’s impede government’s plot to enjoy three years of golden time
Under the circumstances where people are uncertain, the pro-amendment forces will commit in revising the constitution; how to present a proposal to the Diet if they obtain golden time after the Upper House election. These forces, ahead of all, will wage debates on ‘how to attack enemy bases’, ‘how to share nuclear arms’ and ‘how to expand defense budget to 11 trillion yen’. We face a critical situation to struggle so that these attempts should be curbed.
In addition, we have a vital task in the current election to defend the status of the SDP as a political party. The NSP and the SDP must survive as a constitutional pole: we assert non-armed neutrality and defend Peace Constitution, united with people who wish to build ‘a world that will not wage a war’.
The NSP uses the combined list for proportional representation candidates of the SDP in the election. The NSP, keeping its identity, is ready to fight for building up a third pole of defending the constitution. This struggle will last ‘from the 2022 Upper House election to the scheduled one in 2025’.
It is high time for the NSP to work distinctively as the party has sincerely maintained its principle.
昨年の衆院総選挙の結果を受けて、立憲野党に大きな動揺が生じている。
今参院選、32の１人区で野党共闘が成立したのは12にとどまった。後退の大きな要因は立憲民主党の混乱にあることは間違いないが、裏返せば、保守勢力が市民と野党の共闘に脅威を感じていることの表れでもある。
９条が示す「答え」
また、ロシアのウクライナ侵攻は、市民にも立憲野党にも一定の動揺をもたらしている。「ウクライナのようになりたくなければ防衛力を強化すべき」との宣伝が続いている。
しかし、ウクライナで起きている悲惨な現実がこの宣伝への答えを示してはいないか。欧米はウクライナへの軍事支援を強化しているが、そのために戦争は長引き、犠牲者は増え続けている。武力に対して武力で応じるほどに、戦争には何の責任もない市民たちが死に、血を流さなければならない。
武力によらない国家間対立の解決と、核戦争にまでエスカレートしかねない武力紛争＝戦争と、どちらがより現実的で理にかなった解決の仕方であるかは明らかである。
ここに、日本国憲法９条の示してきた先進性があるし、かつての日本社会党が掲げ続けた「非武装中立」の優位性がある。そして、それはすでにコスタリカやＡＳＥＡＮなどで実現していることだ。
「黄金の３年」阻止
市民が動揺する今、改憲派は、参議院選で「黄金の３年間」を手に入れれば改憲発議に突進してくるだろう。その前に「敵基地攻撃」とか「核共有」、防衛費の11兆円への増額などを持ち出してくる。これを許さない闘いこそ問われている。
加えて、今参院選は社民党の政党要件を守るという重大な課題を持つ。非武装中立・平和憲法を掲げ、「戦争を起こさない世界」を求める市民たちの結集軸として、新社会党や社民党が存在し続けることが必要だ。
新社会党は、今回の参院選で社民党の「比例名簿枠」を活用させてもらうが、あくまでも新社会党のアイデンティティを守った上で、この国に護憲の第三極を確立する闘いとして臨む。そしてこの闘いのスパンは、少なくとも「22年から25年参院選」まで続く闘いである。今こそ筋を通してきた新社会党の出番である。
英訳版↓
No. 1263 Twenty-sixth Election for Upper House
Campaigns have started for the 26th round of Upper House election. The New Socialist Party (NSP) has fielded Ms Okazaki Saiko, who is listed as the NSP’s candidate for the proportional representation channel in the joint name list of the Social-Democratic Party (SDP). Today, people earnestly need a third pole of defending the Constitution. Under the circumstances the NSP is making the best efforts to win in the election.
LET’S EXERT MAXIMUM POWER TO BUILD THIRD POLE OF DEFENDING CONSTITUTION
Responding to the results of the last general election held in October 2021, constitutional opposite parties are in enormous turmoil.
The opposition forces are not successful, in the current election, in sharing common candidates in the 32 single-seated constituencies, except for 12 districts. Main reasons for failure lie, without doubt, in the confusions inside the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP), but, in other words, the fact reflects that the conservatives fear of united strength of citizens with the opposition political parties.
Answer that Article Nine indicates
Simultaneously, certain uneasiness has been brought in both among Japanese citizens and the opposition political groups by the Russian incursion to Ukraine. Propaganda fiercely continues now, saying that ‘it is necessary to build up military strength, if you do not want to be a Ukraine’.
The tragic realities in Ukraine today, however, shows a correct answer toward this kind of propaganda, doesn’t it? European countries intensify military supports to that nation, but due to their supplies the war prolongs and people face deaths there. The more prevails military power, the more sheds blood of people, who are not responsible for the war.
There are two ways: a solution to a conflict between the states without military means and an armed conflict = war, which might lead to a nuclear war. It is very clear which is more realistic and which is more reasonable in order to reach a settlement.
Here we can find prophetic wisdom of Article Nine of the Constitution, which is superiority of non-armed neutrality that the former Socialist Party of Japan had firmly maintained. You can see examples of Costa Rica in Latin America and the nations in Southeast Asia.
Let’s impede government’s plot to enjoy three years of golden time
Under the circumstances where people are uncertain, the pro-amendment forces will commit in revising the constitution; how to present a proposal to the Diet if they obtain golden time after the Upper House election. These forces, ahead of all, will wage debates on ‘how to attack enemy bases’, ‘how to share nuclear arms’ and ‘how to expand defense budget to 11 trillion yen’. We face a critical situation to struggle so that these attempts should be curbed.
In addition, we have a vital task in the current election to defend the status of the SDP as a political party. The NSP and the SDP must survive as a constitutional pole: we assert non-armed neutrality and defend Peace Constitution, united with people who wish to build ‘a world that will not wage a war’.
The NSP uses the combined list for proportional representation candidates of the SDP in the election. The NSP, keeping its identity, is ready to fight for building up a third pole of defending the constitution. This struggle will last ‘from the 2022 Upper House election to the scheduled one in 2025’.
It is high time for the NSP to work distinctively as the party has sincerely maintained its principle.
June 22, 2022