Vol.23 No.1 September 2020

The Constitution of Japan and Democracyin the COVID-19 Era
Akihiro Kawakami
1. Emergence of the novel coronavirus and the crisis of
democracy
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been spreading
throughout the world. The fact that the virus is invisible amplifies
people’s anxiety.
In these circumstances, people may feel too insecure about theirown wellbeing to think of politics and issues of public concern, andfeel that the act of thinking itself is a burden. At times like this, people
want to entrust everything to a strong leader. Recent years have seen the
rapid emergence of authoritarian or populist leaders. The COVID-19
pandemic seems to be accelerating this dangerous trend.
Which is more important—freedom or security? This is a problem
that has been discussed since the old days, but the fear of coronavirus
can bring about excessive restrictions on freedom in the name of
security. With regard to personal information, moreover, governments
may collect and use personal data and location history using asmartphone app—even worse, such big data, combined with artificial
intelligence (AI), may be used to identify potential criminals or generateeach individual’s personal credit score, eventually leading to unfair
discrimination or social exclusion.
In the future, governments may be unwilling to give up the ultimate
authority they have obtained during the crisis and exceptional situationof the COVID-19 pandemic. The public may also be willing to accept
mass surveillance and government control to escape from fear andbecome insensitive to excessive restrictions on freedom. This creates a“state of emergency” that shakes the very foundations of democracy.
2. COVID-19 and constitutional rights
Article 13 of the Constitution of Japan stipulates the right to life andthe right of people to be respected as individuals. Article 25 states thatall people shall have the right to maintain the minimum standards ofwholesome and cultured living, and requires the government to promoteand extend public health, etc...
The spread of COVID-19 infections poses a grave risk to thelives and health of the people, which can be treated similarly to anatural disaster from the standpoint of the law. Minimum restrictions
exceptionally placed on the freedom of movement and business may beallowed for the sake of public welfare, as set forth in the Constitution—although unlimited restrictions cannot be allowed.
Rather, the problem is that the people’s right to life and health has
not been guaranteed in terms of medical care, due to a poor PCR testing
system for patients (including asymptomatic carriers and those withminor symptoms) and the government’s medical expenditure reduction
policy.
Moreover, the national government has called on people to refrainfrom leaving home or moving around and on businesses to refrainfrom operating without adequately providing compensation. The
government’s requests for voluntary restraint have been acting virtually
as a compulsory measure through pressure to conform. However, if thegovernment implements a policy of allowing the people to exercise selfcontrol at their own discretion without providing any compensation,some people will continue to operate their business or attend work inorder to make a living, thereby further spreading the coronavirus andeventually leading to more business failures and economic poverty. The
government needs to understand that compensation will be an effective
infection prevention measure and recognize that as a result of the recent
neoliberal policies that have brought about an enormous number of nonregular employees and a larger wealth gap in society, there are many
people who would have no home or food if they were unable to work.
It is important to take measures from the perspective that “withoutcompensation, there will be no voluntary restraints.”
It is also an urgent matter to design measures to provide support
to cultural and artistic institutions guaranteeing the right to maintain theminimum standards of cultured living, as enshrined in Article 25 of theConstitution of Japan, and to ensure quality and affordable education,and guaranteeing the right to receive an equal education, as enshrined in
Article 26 of the Constitution.
3. Whether it is necessary to introduce the provision regarding
National Emergencies into the Constitution of Japan
Some politicians of the ruling party emphasize the importance ofrevising the Constitution to create a provision for dealing with national
emergencies, saying that a state of emergency as declared under current
Japanese law is not sufficient in responding to emergency situations.
This means that it would be possible for the prime minister and theadministration to suspend the Constitution and concentrate power into
their own hands to fully and comprehensively limit citizens’ liberty andhuman rights (often without any compensation).
Such power belonging to the state could be easily used for an
unjustifiable purpose, and the period in which it would be used could
be limitlessly extended. It would make it difficult for other stateorgans, including judicial organs or even the people with whom resides
sovereign power, to determine the appropriateness or legality of theuse of such state power and limit or stop the exercise of authority.
Restrictions on freedom of the press and speech would deprive thepeople of opportunities to criticize.
Instead, we need to consider how the principles of the Constitution
can be fully implemented within its present scope to ensure thathuman rights are guaranteed. When a voluntary ban or restrictions are
imposed on movements or businesses, they should be implemented as
an exceptional and minimal measure to safeguard the life and health ofpeople, based on expert evidence and follow-up review, and they should
also be accompanied by compensation.
In an era when anyone could become underprivileged or fall victim
to the virus, it is necessary to think about how the most vulnerable
people can be saved, rather than placing priority on state sovereignty
or considering the law of the jungle or the issue of segmentation andisolation. The Constitution requires the state and its people to achieve asociety and politics that respects individuals and enables them to work
together and pressure the government if necessary, rather than a society
and politics that sacrifices certain people for the benefit of the public.
I believe that the principle of Articles 13 and 25 of the Constitution ofJapan is that no one should be ill-treated.
(Associate Professor at HPI)

Contents

The Constitution of Japan and Democracy in the COVID-19 Era
COVID-19 and the Korean Peninsula
COVID-19 in China
The Trump Phenomenon and a Canary in a Coal MineThe Ethnic Peace Process in Myanmar
Sharing the Pleasant News of Receiving an Award
A New Attempt at Peace Education: Making Peace PR Videos on Smartphones
Diary
Renewal of HPI Website

Akihiro Kawakami ………………… 1
Hyun Jin Son ………………………… 2
Xianfen Xu …………………………… 3
Gen Kikkawa ………………………… 4
Narayanan Ganesan ……………… 5-6
Takumi Kosugi ……………………… 6
Kyungjin Ha ………………………… 7
All ……………………………………… 8
Kyungjin Ha ………………………… 8
Visit HPI s website at https://www.peace.hiroshima-cu.ac.jp/

1

COVID-19 and the Korean Peninsula
Hyun Jin Son
The first cases of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19)
were reported in Wuhan, China on December 31, 2019. According
to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of July 2020,
outbreaks of the novel coronavirus have occurred in 216 countries
and regions in the world, resulting in 11,125,245 infected persons
and 528,204 deaths. On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared thesenovel coronavirus outbreaks a global pandemic. With no vaccines
or medications developed yet, the infection has been spreading
around the world at a furious speed, pushing many countries totake various measures including the closure of borders.
The Korean Peninsula, which shares a border with China,
has also been facing the COVID-19 pandemic. The Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) began to take measures
to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus by closing thecountry’s border with China at an early stage, and by completely
blocking the entry of tourists on January 22, 2020. Moreover,
the North Korean authorities took emergency steps to prevent
the COVID-19 pandemic from occurring within the country,
and transformed the “health and epidemic prevention system”
into a “national emergency epidemic prevention system” (Labor
newspaper, January 30, 2020). The North Korean government
announced that there had been no infected persons up to thepresent since the border closure to block the entry or departureof tourists and foreigners (Korean Central News Agency, April 3,2020). According to North Korea’s Ministry of Public Health, thetesting of 922 persons for coronavirus was conducted, but all ofthem showed a negative result.
At the July 2 Politburo Expanded Conference, Chairman Kim
Jong-un said that the country had blocked the virus from making
inroads and had maintained a stable quarantine situation, and hehighly evaluated the national emergency epidemic prevention
system, referring to this result as “pleasing.” However, it is difficult
to confirm this announcement by the North Korean authorities
because of the country’s complete blockade of information fromoutside and its closed nature.
According to the WHO, all patients with suspected infectionsin North Korea have been isolated in designated hospitals, andrelief supplies, such as diagnostic kits for coronavirus and personal
protective equipment, have already been sent to the country.
A Weekly Report by North Korea’s Ministry of Public Healthrevealed that as of July 2020, 225 patients have been placed inquarantine, with a total of 25,551 people released from quarantine,
according to a WHO official in Pyongyang.
South Korea’s measures against novel coronavirus infections
have been widely praised, attracting attention from around theworld as an example of success. On January 20, 2020, the first caseof infection in the country was confirmed, and COVID-19 spreadquickly to many members of a specific religious group and local
communities. However, the South Korean government’s prompt
action and social distancing recommendations successfully reduced
the growth in the number of infections. Since then, the authorities
have effectively controlled the spread of COVID-19. As of July
2020, the total number of infections amounted to 13,612, with 291
deaths. The country’s coronavirus mortality rate stood at 2.4%.
On February 23, 2020, the South Korean government raised
its alert on COVID-19 to the highest level, and set up a central
disaster and safety measures headquarters, headed by the prime
2

HIROSHIMA RESEARCH NEWS Vol.23 No.1, September 2020

minister, in order to respond to the spread of coronavirus infections
at the national level. On February 26, the National Assembly
passed partial revisions of the Infectious Disease Prevention andControl Act, the Quarantine Act and the Medical Service Act,
which have been dubbed the “three COVID-19 acts.”
The revisions to these acts have allowed city mayors,divisional chiefs and ward mayors to staff quarantine officers andepidemiological investigators as necessary, and also enabled anincrease in the number of epidemiological investigators belonging
to the Ministry of Health and Welfare from 30 or more to 100 or
more. In addition, the scope of the persons whom the Ministerof Health and Welfare can order the Minister of Justice to ban orstop from entering or departing the country has been expanded toinclude persons exposed to risk of infection and persons entering
the country from or via quarantine control areas.
To prevent the further spread of COVID-19 in the country,
the South Korean government gave the highest priority toidentifying infected persons early, discovered many infected
people through selective clinic screening, and provided immediate
treatment. By April 2020, the maximum number of PCR tests that
could be done per day had increased to approximately 200,000,
and by June, the cumulative number of PCR tests done hadreached 1.4 million.
Once an infection is discovered, the central and local
governments identify the source by promptly conducting an
infection route survey, and take necessary measures to preventthe spread of the infection, including the isolation of people whohave been in contact with infected persons. To collect data to more
quickly determine the route of infection, the authorities grasp
the movements of infected persons and obtain basic informationon those who have been in contact with infected persons byconducting interviews with the infected persons. If necessary, they
use location information on cell phones, CCTV (security cameras),and credit card usage history. The collected information on infected
persons is made public on local government websites and managed
effectively through mobile phones apps. According to foreign news
reports, South Korea’s successful response to COVID-19 can be
attributed to the swift action taken by the government, extensive
PCR tests, the tracing of infected people, and cooperation fromcitizens. Within the country, however, some people claim that thesemeasures have infringed on individual freedom, human rights, andprivacy.
As shown by the many cases of COVID-19, the disease posesa significant threat to human beings beyond national borders andrace. The spread of an infectious disease can not only threaten the
lives and safety of individuals, but also threaten the existence of acommunity.
In North Korea, even though only a few infected people havebeen reported there are likely many more, although it is difficult
to get accurate information. Due to an undeveloped health andmedical system and insufficient supplies of pharmaceuticals,
the country has a high rate of death from infectious disease.
Accordingly, it is necessary for both North and South Korea towork together to prevent the spread of infection and take necessary
measures, including treatment of the infection.
(Associate Professor at HPI)COVID-19 in China
Xianfen Xu
The outbreak of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) at theend of 2019 has brought about calamity throughout the world. The
coronavirus, that is invisible to the naked eye, has claimed large numbersof lives and forced people to avoid human-to-human contact, thereby
bringing about drastic changes to people’s lifestyles. The initial cases of
COVID-19 were confirmed in Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei Province
in China. This paper presents the infection status of China, the Chinesemodel for infection control, and international discussions on these topics.
1. From First Case Report to Pandemic
The first case of COVID-19 was reported in China. The novel
coronavirus infection identified at the Huanan Seafood Wholesale
Market in Wuhan on December 8, 2019 made headlines around theworld. On December 20, the human-to-human spread of the virus was
confirmed. On January 23, 2020, the Chinese government locked down
Wuhan, a city with over 10 million residents. China’s strategy to containthe virus continued for 77 days until April 8, when the lockdown was
lifted.
For the first one month since the outbreak of COVID-19, fearof an unknown virus, a tragic atmosphere and tension filled the city,which saw overwhelmed hospitals, the infection and resulting deathof doctors, a 10-day rush job of constructing the two medical facilities
of Huoshenshan Hospital and Leishenshan Hospital, the establishmentof Fang Cang Hospital which is an emergency container hospital, andthe arrival of medical teams from around the country (as if they were
heading to a battlefield).
In late March, the COVID-19 pandemic finally started to come toan end, with a return to everyday life. On June 7, the Chinese Communist
Party’s Central Propaganda Department released a white paper titled“China’s Action to Overcome Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia,” declaring
victory over the COVID-19 pandemic. On June 11, locally transmitted
novel coronavirus infections were confirmed at a major wholesale
agricultural market in the capital city of Beijing. On July 6, the situation
settled down, with no new infections reported. China, the epicenter ofthe novel coronavirus outbreak, has almost succeeded in containing the
COVID-19. According to statistics, the daily number of cases of new
infections continues to be in the single or double digits, most of which
are infected persons from abroad.
Looking at the world, many countries started to face the
COVID-19 from around March 2020, when the situation was undercontrol in Wuhan. COVID-19 was confirmed in 215 countries andregions. A tally by Johns Hopkins University in the US on June 29, 2020
showed that the total of infectious cases had surpassed 10 million, with
the US, Brazil, Russia, India, and the UK ranking high on the list, andwith China coming in 21st with 84,757 cases. The global death toll fromthe novel coronavirus has now topped 500,000. The US, Brazil, the UK,
Italy and France rank high on the list, while China comes in 19th with
4,641 deaths.
2. Chinese Model for Infection Control
What are the characteristics of the Chinese model for infection control?
Put simply, the model relies on compulsion. Persons confirmed to
be infected are isolated, and those who have been in contact with
infected persons are identified and isolated. Also, relevant places (e.g.,
workplaces, residential areas/cities) are locked down, with the impositionof a total ban on entering or leaving such places. In the early periodof the COVID-19 pandemic (February to March), the traffic of people

and goods between villages was blocked. The Chinese government has
implemented these isolation, lockdown, and blocking measures in a
coercive manner.
Medical teams were sent to Wuhan from around the country, andthe medical units of the People’s Liberation Army were mobilized. Under
the “one province for one city” scheme launched by the government,
the 19 provinces (direct-controlled municipalities, provinces, andautonomous regions) of the nation provided medical force support to the
16 areas of Hubei Province in order to complement the nation’s medicalcare system.
To prevent the coronavirus from being brought back from othercountries, restrictions were imposed on international flights. Each air
carrier was allowed to operate only one flight a week to each destination.
In a society in which the public interest comes before anything else,
freedom of the individual means the freedom allowed only under theestablished public order. Decisions made by the central government areconveyed to local governments in a top-down fashion, thereby enabling
the rapid implementation of measures. Responding with a sense of
speed is possible by means of a heavy fist and restrictions on freedoms.
The development and practical use of IT-based systems to track people
infected with the coronavirus has contributed to further enhancement of
the government’s execution capability.
The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the world
has led to debate over the relative merits of the political regimes ofindividual countries. There are voices saying that China’s regime issuperior to those of other countries.
3. Points of Argument from a Global Perspective
The international community has been turning a stern eye on themeasures taken by the Chinese government to prevent and contain the
spread of COVID-19. There are three points to the argument. The firstpoint is skepticism about whether China has been totally transparent
regarding the reality of COVID-19. The second is a dispute over thesource of the coronavirus outbreak and growing calls for China to beheld accountable for COVID-19. Regarding these two matters, theChinese government countered with the issuance of the aforementioned
white paper on the COVID-19 fight.
The third point of the argument is whether the US-led movement
to break away from dependence on China in the global economy has
accelerated or whether a new international supply network can beestablished under the initiative of the US. The recent deterioration of
US-China relations has made these matters more complicated.
Amid growing concerns about and distrust of China in theinternational community, the Chinese government will be urged torespond sincerely to such issues.
Conclusion
The world has not yet seen the end of the COVID-19 pandemic—
even how things are going to turn out in the future. Despite the initialexpectation that seasonal climate changes and rising temperatures would
help contain the spread of the COVID-19, there seems to be no end insight. We may need to be prepared to live with the coronavirus for a longtime, rather than temporarily. This unknown virus holds many mysteries,
but one thing is clear: Now is the time to work together to confront thisglobal crisis, rather than following a path toward division in the world.
(Associate Professor at HPI)

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3

The Trump Phenomenon and a
Canary in a Coal MineGen Kikkawa

The Trump phenomenon, which advocates a “me-first” policy for
America and undermines efforts toward multilateralism, has been
spreading throughout the world. Four years ago, when Donald Trump
was elected President of the United States, it was considered by mostpeople to be an “unexpected result.” However, the world has recently
seen the emergence of many “little Trumps” around the world,
including Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, Brazil President
Jair Bolsonaro, and Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
In many Western countries, which had once pledged to support
multiculturalism and had shown tolerance in accepting immigrants,
anti-immigrant movements, racial discrimination, and the persecutionof minorities have been spreading, leading to the rise of far-right
political parties that advocate withdrawal from the EU.
The Trump phenomenon is not likely to be a temporary
phenomenon and end any time soon. Instead, the world politicalsituation today is remarkably similar to that of the 1930s. In the
1920s, after the First World War, many countries in the world, under
the initiative of the League of Nations, came to place a premium on
the principle of international cooperation and were working together
toward the creation of international peace. In the 1930s, however, anumber of big Trumps appeared who adhered to “my country-first”
policies—as represented by Benito Mussolini, the Italian politicalleader who created Fascism, Adolf Hitler, the German political leader
who advocated Nazism, and Joseph Stalin, the Soviet political leader
who put forth the theory of “socialism in a single country.” As aresult, many countries moved toward dictatorship, and the world
entered another world war.
In “Conditions of Peace” (1942), a work he wrote during
the Second World War, the British historian E.H. Carr argued thatthe three ideologies of liberal democracy, self-determination ofnations/nationalism, and laissez-faire, all of which date back to
the 19th century and served as the ideological foundation of theinternational community in Europe, stood squarely against the newly
emerging revolutionary ideologies, eventually leading to the startof another world war. Liberal democracy faced the challenge of
Marxism-Leninism, which gained momentum through the Russian
Revolution, and then the challenge of Fascism and Nazism. The selfdetermination of nations/nationalism was challenged by communism/
internationalism, which was followed by Nazi Germany’s attempt
to unify Europe. Laissez-faire faced challenges from the Great
Depression which led to the formation of exclusionary economic
blocs, and the communist planned economy. In their final phase, such
confrontations between Europe’s traditional ideologies and newly
emerging revolutionary ideologies reached their climax at the Second
World War.
Failure of the principle of international cooperation began
in eastern and central Europe, where there are many multiethnic
nations. In those countries, little progress was being made in fostering
the unity of the people, making their governance bases weaker.
The spread of communist ideology from the eastern part of theEuropean continent encouraged multiethnic nations to move toward
dictatorship, diminishing freedom and increasing the oppression of
ethnic minorities. They then withdrew from the international regime
that had originally been established to protect ethnic minorities andprevent the rise of ethnic disputes. Latecomer “have-not” nations(or resource-poor countries) also followed the same fate. The failureof laissez-faire due to the division of the world economy into blocs
4

HIROSHIMA RESEARCH NEWS Vol.23 No.1, September 2020in the wake of the Great Depression made the size of territories andresources a crucial element of the international power game.
Although Japan wanted to embark on establishing colonies
overseas in an attempt to ensure inexpensive resources and labor,
territories around the world had already been divided up by theEuropean powers. As a result, Japan turned its back on the principle
of international cooperation, withdrew from the League of Nations,and found a new way to invade China. Meanwhile, the Nazi
government in Germany—whose economy was in a dire situation,with 6 million people unemployed, due to severe pressure to pay war
reparations and the impact of the World Depression—started to turnto a territorial expansion policy under the excuse of expanding its“living space.”
With growing tension in international relations and widespreadauthoritarianism, the issue of national security began to come to thefore, particularly in response to antigovernment forces that joined
hands with forces with opposing ideologies to threaten the frameworkof nations. Japan and Germany moved vigorously to establish acloser relationship with each other and concluded the GermanJapanese Anti-Comintern Pact to work together to counter a common
ideological threat (Comintern). Meanwhile, ethnic minorities, who it
was thought may help those from the same ethnic background invade
the nation, were regarded as a threat that could undermine the onenessof the people and territorial integrity. To strengthen the governing
legitimacy, it was necessary to boost national prestige and enhancenationalism. As a means to do so, historical issues were unearthed andfueled, thereby leading to territorial conflicts.
Within nations, racial discrimination and immigration
clampdowns became widespread, thereby accelerating the persecutionof minorities. In 1937 and 1938, on the eve of the war, for example,
those of German descent, Polish descent, Finnish descent, or Baltic
descent living in the international city of Leningrad—who were all
regarded as “hostile ethnic groups” because they had “historicalhomelands”—were forced into exile. Moreover, 170,000 Korean
people living in the Far East were forced to move to Kazakhstan,for fear that they might hold secret communication with Japanesepeople. Under a cloud of war, ethnic minorities facing such a plightare nothing less than a canary in a coal mine crying out in a quest for
global peace and order.
Today, territorial disputes often occur around the world,
throwing a spotlight on historical issues. International conflicts
are escalating over the destruction of the natural environment andwater resources, and desertification is accelerating around the world.
The annual loss due to desertification equals the combined area of
Kyushu and Shikoku islands in Japan. Despite the increase in world
population by 80 million per year, there is little hope for increasing
the production of food, causing the gap between the rich and the poor
to increasingly widen in the international community. The world
today has seen the refusal to accept refugees, the proliferation of
authoritarian states, suppression of human rights and fundamental
freedoms, the oppression of minorities, and the spread of racial
discrimination. In the post-COVID-19 era, a worldwide economic
recession and rising unemployment will spur on individual countries’“me-first” policies. There is an urgent need to exercise wisdomand come up with measures for the recovery of the principle ofinternational cooperation and the building of a global civil society.
(Specially Appointed Professor at HPI)The Ethnic Peace Process in Myanmar
Narayanan Ganesan

The Republic of the Union of Myanmar in Southeast Asia has

stake. But the groups in the Northern Alliance come predominantly

one of the longest running civil wars in Southeast Asia. They

from the Northern Shan and Kachin states that have long had

started in 1949 just a year after the country achieved its politicalpolitical and economic linkages with China and Yunnan province

independence from Britain when it used to be called Burma. The

in particular.

civil wars are a function of the unhappiness of ethnic minorities inWithin this Northern Alliance is a smaller subset group called

the country who predominantly live in the peripheral and highland

the Brotherhood Alliance that brings together 4 organizations. The

areas of the country. They felt oppressed and persecuted by thelargest among them is the Kachin Independence Organization/

country’s Bamar ethnic majority and took up arms against the state

Army (KIO/KIA). This group had a previous bilateral ceasefire

and its government. Since the post-independence government wasagreement with the military that broke down in 2011 and since

weak and had limited capacity it was unable to defeat the ethnic

then has been involved in major fighting with the military. The

insurgencies and consolidate territorial control over the entire

areas that the KIO controls include areas that are rich in gems likecountry.

jade and amber that the military is keen to wrest control of. The

Developments arising from democratization

remaining 3 groups that often act in concert against the military
are the Arakan Army (AA- Rakhine ethnic group), Myanmar

The partially democratic elected government of President

National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA - Kokang ethnic

Thein Sein attempted to bring some 16 ethic armed groups withingroup) and the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA - Palaunga Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) in October 2015.

ethnic group). The military is especially furious with these groups

However, it was only able to persuade 8 out of the 16 groups to do

for their brazen attacks on towns along the Myanmar-China

so. There were another 5 groups that the government and military

border like Muse since 2016. Consequently, the military has beenrefused to deal with since they were regarded as newly formed

rather unwilling to negotiate with these groups and has in the pastand lacking legitimacy. When the National League for Democracy

demanded an unconditional surrender first. While both the military(NLD) government led by Aung San Suu Kyi won the election

and the members of the Brotherhood Alliance have declaredin November 2015 it continued the process of dialogue with theunilateral ceasefires in the past, the fighting continues unabated.

armed groups and regarded the achievement of internal peace as

The government is not always able to control the military thatthe most important agenda item for itself. The government’s term

remains relatively independent.

is due to expire soon but it has managed to persuade 2 more groups
to join the NCA. The remaining groups have refused to do so andSignificantly increased fighting in Rakhine and Chin

formed a new organization called the Northern Alliance in latestates2016 that is nominally led by the United Wa State Army (UWSA).

Since late 2019 the fighting has been especially severe in Chin

Many of the fighters from this largest ethnic army that has aand Arakan states in the west of the country as the AA attempts totroop strength of 30,000 and an auxiliary army of another 10,000

obtain a foothold in these areas. Traditionally, it was headquartered

were previously from the Burmese Communist Party (BCP) thatin Laiza in Kachin state in the north and supported by the KIO.

collapsed in 1989.

However, it has recently attempted to enlarge its footprint toRecent developments and China’s growing involvement

include ethnic areas that it claims to represent. The military on theother hand is unprepared to allow such an expansion of the group’s

The Northern Alliance has declared its unwillingness to sign

presence and has fought pitched battles that have led to heavy

on to the terms of the NCA and has instead offered its own version

casualties on both sides. Arising from this intense fighting there

of a ceasefire agreement. Both the current government and theare now well over 100,000 new internally displaced persons (IDPs)

military have thus far refused to go along with changes to thein Rakhine state alone with about 6,000 more in Chin state. These

NCA. In fact, the disagreement between the two parties is so strong

IDPs are over and above the more than 100,000 similar persons inthat they often quibble even over where to meet for peace talks.

Kachin state and the 140,000 Muslim IDPs in Rakhine state that

The Northern Alliance tends to prefer Kunming in China while

were displaced by the political violence against the community in

the Myanmar government and military typically favour a venue

2012. And if the civil conflicts are traced further back there are still

within Myanmar. Since 2016 China has taken an active interest in

more than 90,000 primarily Karen refugees in Thailand that havebrokering peace between the two parties, a development that is notbeen there for the last three decades.

always liked by the Myanmar military since sovereign issues are at
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5Impact on Myanmar’s international relations

the region.

Of more recent vintage is the 730,000 Muslim refugees that

The Myanmar government has just now reached an agreement

have streamed into Bangladesh from the military’s clearance

to hold the 4th Panglong Peace Conference in July 2020 with

operations in 2017. As a result of these developments Myanmar’s

signatories to the NCA after the conference was postponed in 2019bilateral relations with Bangladesh and Thailand have beenover disagreements involving issues related to a new federal form

strained. Similarly, relations with Malaysia in the Associationof government and the future composition of the national army.

of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has also been strained.

The government is also hoping to woo the non-signatories and in

Malaysia currently shelters more than 100,000 Myanmar Muslim

particular the KIO and the UWSA to join the meeting. It remains toRohingya refugees under the auspices of the United Nations

be seen whether greater progress will result from the forthcomingHigh Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Additionally, large

meeting and how the situation will evolve after the November

numbers of refugees regularly attempt to flee the refugee camps

2020 national elections. Japan is involved in assisting the peacein Bangladesh and Myanmar to more hospitable neighbouring

process and IDPs through the Japan International Cooperation

countries like Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Consequently,

Agency (JICA) and the Nippon Foundation.

this seemingly internal conflict has had major reverberations in(Professor at HPI)

Sharing the Pleasant News of Receiving an Award
I am very pleased to inform you that my paper titled, “A Studyon the Legitimacy of the Annexation of Crimea into Russia:
Focusing on the Theory of International Law and Linguistic
Human Rights,” was granted the Award for Excellence of the
7th Shigeru Oda Award hosted by the Japanese Society ofInternational Law.
This paper, a revised version of my undergraduate thesis,
attempts to answer the question: Is there no room to support
Russia’s legal claim over its annexation of Crimea in 2014?
Chapter 1 examines Russia’s claim about the legal defects in thetransfer of Crimea to Ukraine in 1954 based on the then Soviet
Constitution. Chapter 2 looks at Russia’s argument about thelegitimacy of the incorporation of Crimea into Russia based oninternational law, and Chapter 3 evaluates the logic of Russia’sintervention for the sake of protecting its own citizens. I believethat the significance of this paper, as a result of a review of
Russia’s legal claims, is that it clarifies that part of the claim iscompelling.
I believe that I was only able to receive this prestigious
award because of the valuable guidance and support provided bymany faculty members. I would like to take this opportunity toextend my appreciation to all of them. Special thanks go to Gen
Kikkawa, my supervisor and Specially Appointed Professor, andother faculty members of the Hiroshima Peace Institute; Yasuko
Tsuru, Professor of the Faculty of Global Studies, Sophia
University, who provided guidance in writing my undergraduate
thesis; and all of those involved in the operation and selection of
the Shigeru Oda Award. This experience will encourage me to
devote continued efforts to publishing this award-winning paper
and writing my master’s thesis. Thank you once again.
(Student in the Graduate School of Peace Studies)

6

HIROSHIMA RESEARCH NEWS Vol.23 No.1, September 2020

Takumi Kosugi

Note:
The Shigeru Oda Award was established in honor of thephilanthropy of Dr. Shigeru Oda, who served as a member of theInternational Court of Justice for 27 years, from 1976 to 2003.
Its aim is to promote research in the fields of international law,
private international law, international politics and diplomacy,
and to foster the development of young researchers who will
shoulder responsibility for the future, by making honorable
recognition of excellent papers in these fields. The Award
for Excellence of the 7th Shigeru Oda Award, which Takumi
Kosugi was granted this time, is the highest award to date in thefield of international politics and diplomacy.
(Gen Kikkawa, Specially Appointed Professor at HPI)A New Attempt at Peace Education:
Making Peace PR Videos on Smartphones
Kyungjin Ha

1. Challenges Facing Peace Education
In talking about the peace of Hiroshima, the history of war and theinheritance of memories are indispensable. Narratives by A-bomb
survivors are an important asset in terms of research and education, in
considering the notion of world peace through the tragedy of Hiroshima.
Such narratives help provide a glimpse of wartime history to younger
generations who have no experience of the Hiroshima of that time, butthey do not always serve as a trigger for thinking of peace as an issue forthemselves. From the perspective of inheriting the history of Hiroshima
and developing new approaches towards peace, discussions cannot be
conducted without involving the younger generations who will shoulder
the responsibility for society in the future. In this sense, it is a significant
challenge for peace education in Hiroshima to mentor younger generations
as those responsible for peace in the future. In this article, I would like tofocus on the activities launched in the academic year 2019—as part of aseries of efforts made from this point of view—under the first-semester
intensive program titled “Peace Internship” at the Hiroshima City
University.
2. What is New about the Program
The program “Peace Internship” is designed for students to recognize
the benefits of peace by visiting peace-related facilities in Hiroshima andhaving interviews with experts and A-bomb survivors. Since last year,
some classes have been replaced with a series of workshops under theconcept, “Your PR Campaign for Peace: A One-Minute Video Createdwith Your Smartphone.”Through participation in a series of workshops, students are expected
to recognize the potential of various ways of thinking about peace,consider the notion of peace for themselves, devise how to express andshare their thoughts with more people, and then create a one-minute videousing their smartphones.
The newness of this program is found in unexpected combinations as
described below.
The first is a combination of peace and PR (“Peace×PR”). Public
Relations (PR), a tool that appears far from the notion of peace, is used
to raise students’ awareness of becoming the originator of a message ofpeace, rather than the receiver. In Japan, PR is often perceived mistakenly
as an advertising or promotional activity, but it originally meant therelationship-building process, which requires an understanding of the
public.
The second is a combination of peace and smartphones(“Peace×Smartphones”). Most participants are first-year or second-year
undergraduate students, who are from the digitally native generation, or
the generation with a high level of understanding of and heavy dependence
on smartphones and tablets. A video, or a video content format familiar tothe students, is used to send a message of peace, to provide them with anopportunity to consider the issue of peace as their own, in terms of bothnotion and expression.
3. All Classes Taught Online: A Challenge mid the
COVID-19 Pandemic
The number of participants in the new program increased to 57 students
from the previous year. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced allclasses given under the program, including workshops, to be held online.
Usually, each class is about three hours long. For online classes, however,it was necessary to drastically reschedule the class time and content
because of major problems resulting from the many hours of internet
usage, such as lack of concentration on the part of students, ineffectivenessof learning, and heavy data traffic.
As a result, each class was designed to consist of three parts: (1)one-way communication by the instructor in charge (previous learning),(2) proactive learning by participants (self-directed learning), and (3)interactive learning between instructors and students (live learning). Prior
to a class, the instructor posted documents and materials necessary forprevious study (PowerPoint with sound), and based on previous learning,
students conducted self-directed learning in the form of worksheets
and assignments. In live learning utilizing Zoom (a web-based videoconferencing program), the Breakout Room function was used to makegroup discussions more substantial.
Providing all classes of the program online requires a combinationof various e-learning systems. In addition to Zoom, Hiroshima City
University’s learning management system “WebClass” was used forcommunication with participating students, as well as Google Drive,for sharing materials/documents among lecturers, and YouTube (limitedaccess), for sharing the videos created by students and screening videos
online.
4. Brief Overview of Each ClassIn the first online class (May 23), with Mr. Seiji Horie representing
Manabi Kobo as the lecturer, students participated in workshop activities
to consider differences in views/opinions over peace in newspaper articles,
based on the keyword “gap.” In the second class (May 30), Kyungjin Ha,
Associate Professor at the Hiroshima Peace Institute, delivered a lecture
concerning the significance of PR, which was followed by a discussion
among students on the major features and potential of “PR video” createdby local governments as a case study. In the third class (June 6), virtual
fieldwork was undertaken with the participation of Ms. Mami Nakatao, aprogram officer of the tourism policy department of the city of Hiroshima,
with the use of digital archives such as “Hiroshima no Kuhaku (Void of
Hiroshima)” and “Hiroshima Archive.” Based on the three online classes,
students wrote their own peace-themed stories and created storyboards.
In the fourth class (June 13), students created interim reports, with Yuko
Tsuchiya, Associate Professor at the Hiroshima University of Economics,
as the facilitator. Following the interim reports, the students createdtheir own videos. In the fifth class (June 27), an online screening washeld, which was followed by discussions on the message of peace andthe methods of expression in the completed videos. Kazumi Mizumoto,
Professor at Hiroshima Peace Institute, responsible for the Peace
Internship Program, participated in the operation of all the classes for thisprogram.
5. Future Prospects
It cannot be said that workshops, compared to lectures and seminars,
are suitable for online learning. This program faced many restrictions,
including the necessity for students to carry out assignments on an
individual basis, a shorter time for group discussions, and the inability toshoot new videos due to the government’s voluntary ban on going out.
On the other hand, there were some new discoveries. All of the 47 videos
created by students were unique, presenting expressive messages of peaceand adding a fresh dimension to the manner of expression. Eleven of them
are now available to the public on the Hiroshima City University official
website.
Finally, I would like to present future prospects. Due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, this program has turned out to be a new andinteresting attempt to pursue peace education, which I believe can be amodel for a workshop that enables participants beyond national boundaries
and cultural differences to discuss world peace online. If young people
can step forward from the discussions and start disseminating their own
thoughts and ideas on peace, taking full advantage of the benefits of amultimedia society, the circle of peace education will be expanded from
Hiroshima throughout the world. I look forward to future developments.
(Associate Professor at HPI)

Visit HPI s website at https://www.peace.hiroshima-cu.ac.jp/

7

DIARY2019◆ Dec. 2 Robert Jacobs presents a lecture to United Nations Guides
at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, Hiroshima, Japan.
◆ Dec. 6 Kyungjin Ha organizes a public seminar, “The Meaning of
the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in Baseball Culture,” as an activity of the
HPI Research project, “Preliminary Study on Cultural Reconstructionof Hiroshima,” in which she serves as the principal investigator, heldat the Satellite Campus of Hiroshima City University.
◆ Dec. 13 Ryo Oshiba presents a talk on, “Poverty Alleviation
and Peace,” at Hiroshima Shudo University (Dept. of International
Community).
◆ Dec. 13 Xianfen Xu presents a lecture, “Institutionalizationof Japan-China Relations,” at a seminar for students of SOKA
University, held at SOKA University.
◆ Dec. 15 Tetsuo Sato gives an outline presentation of thesymposium and serves as moderator in the panel discussion in aninternational symposium titled, “Towards a World Without Nuclear
Weapons and Crimes Against Humanity,” held by the Hiroshima
Peace Institute and others at the International Conference Center
Hiroshima.
◆ Dec. 20 Ha presents a lecture, “Let’s PR Your Town,” to thestudents of Hiroshima Prefectural Kake High School at Akiota,
Hiroshima.
2020◆ Jan. 9 Makiko Takemoto presents a lecture on, “German andJapanese Peace Movements,” at a seminar for students from
Kyungpook National University of Korea, held at Hiroshima City
University.
◆ Jan. 14 Kazumi Mizumoto attends as committee member the
Hiroshima Prefecture’s “Hiroshima Report Drafting Project” meetingorganized by and held at the Center for Disarmament, Science andTechnology, Japan Institute of International Affairs in Tokyo.
◆ Jan. 15 Ha presents a lecture, “Peace and Media,” to the students
from Kyungpook National University of Korea, at HCU.
◆ Jan. 17 Jacobs presents a lecture on, “American Victims ofRadiation Exposure,” at the 5th Annual HPI English Language
Lecture Series, Hiroshima, Japan.
◆ Jan. 24 Narayana Ganesan presents a lecture on, “Ethnic Peace
Process in Myanmar,” at the 5th Annual HPI English Language

Renewal of HPI Website

December 1, 2019 ― May 31, 2020
Lecture Series, Hiroshima, Japan.
◆ Feb. 7 Ha organizes a public seminar, “Collaboration Project ofHiroshima Toyo Carp and JICA,” as an activity of the HPI Research
project “Preliminary Study on Cultural Reconstruction of Hiroshima,”
held at the Satellite Campus of Hiroshima City University.
◆ Feb. 13 Gen Kikkawa, Mizumoto and Jacobs present lectures
on, “International Security,” “Nuclear Disarmament,” and “Global
Hibakusha,” respectively to the members of Nagasaki Youth
Delegation, a group certified by PCU Nagasaki Council for Nuclear
Weapons Abolition as a messenger working towards nuclear weaponsabolition, at the HPI.
◆ Feb. 14 Akihiro Kawakami presents a lecture titled, “Social Rights
and Basic Workers’ Rights in Postwar Japan,” hosted by Kagoshima
Local Self-Government Institute in Kagoshima.
◆ Feb. 15 Kawakami presents a lecture titled, “The Legal Theory ofSocial Rights and Basic Workers’ Rights,” hosted by JICHIRO (AllJapan Prefectural and Municipal Workers Union) Kagoshima Branchin Kagoshima.
◆ Feb. 17‒19 Narayanan Ganesan trains the Myanmar civil
service on public policy formulation and research methodology at
the Ministry of Information in Naypyitaw.
◆ Feb. 18 Sato joins the oral examination of a Ph.D. dissertation online as an examiner held by the Graduate School of Law, Hitotsubashi
University.
◆ Feb. 20‒Mar. 3 Jacobs conducts fieldwork on the radiologicalcontamination of the Hunter’s Point Naval Station, San Francisco,
USA.
◆ Mar. 3‒8 Kikkawa visits the OSCE Secretariat to conduct researchand interview OSCE staff in Vienna, Austria.
◆ Mar. 9‒11 Kikkawa visits the OSCE ODHIR to conduct researchand interviews in Warsaw, Poland.
◆ Apr. 1 Sato becomes a Specially Appointed Professor at the HPI,
Hiroshima City University.
◆ Apr. 27 Ha participates in the online round table conference hosted
by PR Table Community, “Let’s Talk about Public Relations in Post
Corona Era” as a speaker.
◆ May 27 Mizumoto attends as councilor the regular meeting ofboard of councilors of the Hiroshima Jogakuin School Cooperation,
held at Hiroshima Jogakuin University.

Kyungjin Ha

The official website of the Hiroshima Peace Institute (HPI) has been renewed. Since its founding, the HPI has provided support to academic
activities conducted under the theme of “peace,” and has served as a bridge between researchers and citizens. The renewed website seeks toplay this role of a bridge and also become a platform to further promote interactions between researchers and citizens.
Three major changes have been made to the HPI website. First, the section “Recent Research Activities” has been newly created tofocus on various events and faculty member-led activities conducted at the HPI. Articles are written in a reporting style and photos arealso posted so that non-participants can fully enjoy the atmosphere of such events and activities. Second, the “Research” section has beenenriched to cover unique project based research (joint research) and provide outlines of the latest research conducted by faculty members. If
you are considering applying to the Graduate School of Peace Studies or are simply interested in what kind of research is being carried out
at the HPI, please visit and read this section. Lastly, detailed information is provided on the Graduate School of Peace Studies, launched in2019 under the concept of “Pioneering Peace Studies approaches from Hiroshima,” including major characteristics, attractions, information
regarding entrance examinations, and interviews with current students. Additionally, the new website features easieraccess to information on various programs open to the public, including public lectures, symposiums, and seminars.
We would like to widely disseminate the latest information regarding activities so that the HPI will continue toremain close to those with an interest in peace and peace studies. Our website will be updated regularly. We hope that you
will visit us frequently.
(Public Relations Committee at HPI)
https://www.peace.hiroshima-cu.ac.jp/

HIROSHIMA RESEARCH NEWS● Published by● Printed by

8

Vol.23 No.1（September 30, 2020）

Editorial Committee (Robert Jacobs, Kyungjin Ha, Xianfen Xu), Hiroshima Peace Institute, Hiroshima City University
3-4-1, Ozuka-higashi, Asaminami-ku, Hiroshima, 731-3194 Japan
Phone: +81（0）82 830 1811
Fax: +81（0）82 830 1812
E-mail: office-peace@m.hiroshima-cu.ac.jp
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HIROSHIMA RESEARCH NEWS Vol.23 No.1, September 2020

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