November & December 2022 Issue
English Version of the “Article 9 Association (A9A)” Bulletin and News
This is the translated version of the Japanese edition of the Bulletin and News published in Novemberand December 2022. It is published by Katsuyuki Nara of the New English Teachers Association (orShin-Eiken, http://www.shin-eiken.com/) and Sarah Brock. The translation is on our own．
Uploaded on December 28th,2022

English version No. 264

Block Govt’s Attempt to Increase Massive Military Buildup!
Distrust against the Kishida Administration
has ever been mounting as its cozy relationshipwith the Unification Church has been exposedrepeatedly. The disapproval rate of the Kishida
Administration has been lowering. On November
22nd, the Government convened the "Expert
PanelforComprehensive

Consideration

ofDefense Capability" and had them submit a ‘report’in order to proceed with discussions among theruling parties.
Contrary to the government's approval rating,a public opinion survey has shown the results that,While‘55% are in favor of strengthening defense

campaign against constitutional revision, let us

capabilities

spread our voices against govt’s policy of large-andpossessing"counterattack

expandingnationwide

scale

former exceeded the latter.

revision which won’t bring about peace between

build-up has not yet spread among the public.

expansion

andsignaturecapability"’, while 29% are opposed, indicating theHowever, the danger of a massive military

military

theconstitutional

Asia and Japan! Let's raise public opinion even
more! (translated by Katsuyuki Nara)

Provincial A9A Group Activities
Sendai A9A Group in Miyagi Prefecture
On November 3rd, 2022, Sendai A9A sponsored the“Ukraine will Never Perish.” Their third piece waslong-awaited renewal of the "Miyagi gathering to“Song of Promise.” Lyrics translate as, “If children

make the most of Article 9 of the Constitution."

all over the world join their hands, adults all over theAbout 1100 people attended. Put on hold during theworld will also join their hands... If adults all overcoronavirus pandemic, the gathering was held for thethe world throw away their weapons, children all

first time in three years. There was an atmosphere

over the world will smile.”

among participants of, “We’ve long awaited thismeeting!”.

The chorus performance was followed by speeches:
journalist and former TBS anchor Shigeki Kanehira

The Miyagi Chorus opened with Ukrainian folk song

spoke about issues related to reviving nuclear"Kyiv Bird Song" and the Ukrainian national anthem

electricity generation, war in Ukraine, and otherinternational problems. He said that every war inHe said, “We need to be cautious about ourhistory started in the name of self-defense and peace.

government’s scheme to sharply increase theHe said, “We need to be cautious about our

military budget. The audience was impressed by his

government’s scheme to sharply increase thelast comment: “I won’t be a brown-noser journalist.”

military budget. The audience was impressed by hislast comment: “I won’t be a brown-noser journalist.”

Then German literature translator Kayoko Ikeda
gave a speech on the state funeral for the late former

Then German literature translator Kayoko Ikeda

prime minister, Shinzo Abe. She also spoke about thegave a speech on the state funeral for the late former

issue of government being influenced by theprime minister, Shinzo Abe. She also spoke about theUnification Church. She referred to the fact thatissue of government being influenced by theJapan’s press freedom ranking is only 67th in theUnification Church. She referred to the fact thatworld. She asked the audience to always keep an eye

Japan’s press freedom ranking is only 67 th in the On

on news reporting and the stance of differentrdNovember 3 , 2022, Sendai A9A sponsored thejournalists.

long-awaited renewal of the "Miyagi gathering to
make the most of Article 9 of the Constitution."

Kanehira and Ikeda had a panel discussion entitled,

About 1100 people attended. Put on hold during the"Being free from lies" focusing on dangers to peacecoronavirus pandemic, the gathering was held for thein the world and the role of journalists. They gained

first time in three years. There was an atmospherea big round of applause from the audience.

among participants of, “We’ve long awaited thismeeting!”.
The Miyagi Chorus opened with Ukrainian folk song

(Includes excerpts from No.380 issue of online news
Article 9 in Miyagi’ translated by Katsuyuki Nara）"Kyiv Bird Song" and the Ukrainian national anthem“Ukraine will Never Perish.” Their third piece wasworld. She asked the audience to always keep an eye“Song of Promise.” Lyrics translate as, “If children

on news reporting and the stance of different

all over the world join their hands, adults all over thejournalists.

world will also join their hands... If adults all overthe world throw away their weapons, children all

Kanehira and Ikeda had a panel discussion entitled,over the world will smile.”"Being free from lies" focusing on dangers to peacein the world and the role of journalists. They gainedThe chorus performance was followed by speeches:a big round of applause from the audience.

journalist and former TBS anchor Shigeki Kanehira
spoke about issues related to reviving nuclear
electricity generation, war in Ukraine, and otherinternational problems. He said that every war in(Includes excerpts from No.380 issue of online news
Article 9 in Miyagi’ translated by Katsuyuki Nara）

history started in the name of self-defense and peace.

Bridging over People around the World

Gifu City A9A Group in Gifu Prefecture
Every year on November 3, Culture Day

in Japan, our group makes it a rule to hold

"Gifu Peace Gathering." This year, we invitedwith no civil wars or refugees,” she said.

a photojournalist Natsuki Yasuda as a guest“When I visited refugee camps this time, aspeaker.

child came up to me, pleading desperately

Prior to the lecture, Ryukyu (anotherthat I should convey to big guys to stop thisname for Okinawa) Dance Troupe exhibited akind of tragedy.”

couple of dances that have been preserved on

When the photojournalist told that plight tothe southern islands. Their performance was

the people living in temporary housings ingraceful and gorgeous. During the interlude,

Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, they madesanshin

three-stringed

a campaign to collect clothes for the Syrianinstrument) was played. The dance and music

children, so that they could survive the harsh

deeply impressed the audience, evoking thewinter. She concluded, “I feel assured that we

spirit of Okinawa.

can live by supporting each other with people(Okinawa’sMs. Yasuda began her speech by saying,around the world.”“I feel deeply honored and humbled to be able

Ms. Yasuda spoke from the perspective

to speak adjacent to a big signboard thatof the people she had met, which encouraged

reads: Article 9 of the Constitution must not

the participants to think about peace together

be changed!”with her.

She then talked about a woman she had

This year's venue had a capacity for onlyinterviewed this year in Ukraine, who had

500 people, so small that we had to suspend

lost her husband in a shooting while they

distributing admission tickets one month

were evacuating the country, adding that thebefore the event. Next year, we hope to try ourgreatest wish for that woman was to see

best to hold the gathering at the usual venue,"peaceful skies.”

big enough to accept a larger audience.

What then Yasuda emphasized was thesituation in Syria, where she had visitedmany times since she was a university(Reported by Chiaki Yoshida, chairperson of
Gifu A9A)――(Translated by Sadao Hiroyama)

student. “Syria used to be a peaceful country,
Talk Show Energizes Participants
Senju A9A, Adachi Ward, TokyoOn October 27th Senju Kyujo no Kai, oragainst the state funeral of former PrimeSenju A9A, held a talk show featuring an ex-Minister Shinzo Abe and the future struggle

vice minister of education Kihei Maekawa

for the Constitution. She, who is a member ofand a prominent citizen activist for peace

the All-Out Action Committee against theNahoko Hishiyama in Adachi Ward, Tokyo.

change of Article 9, said that the government

This event was jointly conducted with thedecision about Abe’s state funeral triggered

Eastern Area Office of Tokyo Min-Iren (thepeople’s protest and brought more thanJapan Federation of Democratic Medical

30,000 people to take the streets across theInstitutions), having a great success withcountry on the day of the ceremony. She also

about 270 participants.

said that she had received many death

Their dialogue started with Hishiyama’s

threats and a message coming on the Twitter

speech on citizens’ successful campaign

on the day before threatened her, saying

“Suspect, Hishiyama” for the “offence ofgovernment which has a cozy relationshipobstructing a funeral” and she mustn’t go inwith the Unification Church.”After theirfront of the Diet building because she would

discussion, the two speakers gave a closing

be arrested.

speech respectively.

Hishiyama said: “OurHishiyama concluded her speech with her

protest campaign (against the state funeral)

determination: although pro-constitutional

had been cheerfully and joyfully conducted,

revisionists took two-thirds of the seats at thewhich brought the state funeral to a big

last year election of the Upper House, sheblunder. We won. Let’s keep on working

continued to work hard to win the next Upper

together cheerfully and joyfully.”

House’s election 3 years later and prevent any
attempt to amend the Constitution.

Maekawa said: “Every one’s voice andShe

action can make the society change. And

sent a shout-out to the audience, “Let’s

when talking to the other person, you’d better

cheerfully give it our all.”
Maekawa talked about the relationshipbetweentheUnification

ChurchandJapanese politicians. He pointed out that thereligious group had voluntarily helped theLiberal

Democratic

Party’selection

campaigns and they also supported Hakubun
Shimomura to win the Lower House electionin 2009, who served as the minister ofeducation from December 2012 to October
2015.
The ex-head of the education bureaucracy
said, “I turned out an application forcertification of altering the name of thecorporation from the Unification Church in2009, when I was the director of Religious
Affairs Division (of the Cultural Affairs
Agency of the ministry of education).”
Surprisingly, he said, the agency certified theonce-rejected application in 2015. Maekawa
stressed, “I is clear that this was in line with
politicalpower,

HakubunShimomura’swishes.”
He wrapped up his remarks by saying, “I

speak to them in questioning way, but not in
a condescending manner, so that your voice
becomes acceptable to them. This means
creating opportunities for people to thinkthemselves. For example, ‘Do you think Abe’s
government was good for you?’“If you think about it, you will come to aconclusion. Let’s do our best.”

Theirspeeches and discussions were bright andenthusiastic and praised by participants as“refreshing.”(Translated by Toshio Izumi)

will work together with you to defeat the LDP[END]