As August approaches, the Japanese media prepares special reports about war.
This is because August is the month when atomic bombs were dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it’s also when Japan accepted defeat in the Second World War.
This year the debate in the media about war and peace will be more passionate than usual.
After the war, Japan has remained pacifist, and has not fought with other nations.
However, in recent years many Japanese feel threatened by the militaristic comments and actions of China and North Korea.
To withstand this pressure, Prime Minister Abe proposes to use the right of collective defense – based on the US-Japan security treaty – as a deterrent.
However, article nine of the current constitution bans, not only embarking on a war, but also having a military.
In order to change the constitution, over two thirds of Diet members in the House of Representatives and the House of Councilors have to be in favor, as well as the majority of citizens.
Since this is a serious obstacle, Prime Minister Abe is trying to make collective defense possible by changing the interpretation of the constitution, without changing the current constitution.
After the present constitution was established, the then Prime Minister YOSHIDA Shigeru explained that Japan has no right to defense under the constitution.
Later, the Japanese government judged the existence of a self-defense force to be in line with the constitution, as there was a right to defend, even under the present constitution.
However, successive prime ministers have declared that it doesn’t recognize the right to collective defense.
Prime Minister Abe insists that the right to collective defense is recognized by the present constitution.
On the other hand, many citizens are against collective defense, or say that revision of the constitution should be prioritized.
Furthermore, citizens have successfully made the petition to authorities that the ideals enshrined in article nine of the constitution were worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize.
t’s time for the Japanese people to decide: should Japan strengthen its defenses in response to the reports of threats from other nations, or should it continue to maintain minimum defenses in accordance with its peaceful constitution?
(From July issue, 2014 / 2014年7月号より)
8月が
Hachi/8 gatsu ga
August
近づく
chikazu/duku
approaches
メディアは、
medhia wa/ha,
(the) media
特別報道を
tokubetsu’houdou o/wo
special reports
準備します。
junbi shimasu.
prepares
8月は
Hachi/8 gatsu wa/ha
August
原子爆弾が
genshi’bakudan ga
atomic bombs
投下され、
touka sare,
were dropped
第二次世界大戦
Dai’niji Sekai’Taisen
the Second World War
受け入れた
ukeireta
(when) accepted
月
tsuki
(is the) month (when)
今年は
Kotoshi wa/ha
this year
論議が
rongi ga
(the) debate
メディア
medhia
(the) media
なりそうです。
narisou desu.
will be
戦後、
sengo,
after (the) war
平和主義を
heiwa’shugi o/wo
pacifist
貫き、
tsuranuki,
has remained and
戦ったことはありません。
tatakatta koto wa/ha arimasen.
has not fought
近年は
kinnnen wa/ha
(in) recent years
日本人の
Nihonjin no
Japanese
北朝鮮
Kita’chousen
North Korea
軍事的
gunjiteki
militaristic
言動
gendou
(the) comments (and) actions
脅威を
kyoui o/wo
threatened
感じています。
kanjite imasu.
feel
その圧力に
Sono atsuryoku ni
this pressure
対抗するために、
taikou suru tame ni,
to withstand
安倍総理は
Aabe’souri wa/ha
Abe Prime Minister
抑止力
yokushi’ryoku
(a) deterrent
日米安全保障条約を
Nichibei anzen’hoshou jouyaku o/wo
US-Japan security treaty
ベースにした
be-su ni shita
based on
集団的自衛権を
shuudanteki’jieiken o/wo
(the) right of collective defense
提案をしています。
teian o/wo shite imasu.
propose
憲法
kenpou
(the) constitution
9条は、
kyuu/9 jou wa/ha,
article nine (of)
戦争を
sensou o/wo
(a) war
することは
suru koto wa/ha
embarking on
軍隊を
guntai o/wo
(a) military
禁じています。
kinjite imasu.
bans
憲法を
Kenpou o/wo
(the) constitution
衆議院
Shuugiin
(the) House of Representatives
参議院
Sangiin
(the) House of Councilors
3分の2
san/3 bun no ni/2
two thirds (of)
議員が、
giin ga,
Diet members
過半数が
kahansuu ga
(the) majority
しなければなりません。
shinakere ba narimasen.
have to
ハードルが
ha-doru ga
(a) obstacle
安倍総理は
Abe’souri wa/ha
Abe Prime Minister
憲法を
kenpou o/wo
(the current) constitution
変えずに
kaezu ni
without changing
憲法
kenpou
(the) constitution
解釈を
kaishaku o/wo
(the) interpretation
変えることで
kaeru koto de
by changing
集団的自衛権を
shuudanteki’jieiken o/wo
collective defense
可能にしようと
kanou ni shiyou to
to make possible
進めています。
susumete imasu.
is trying
現行の
Genkou no
(the) present
憲法が
kenpou ga
constitution
できた
dekita
was established
吉田茂首相は
YOSHIDA Shigeru Shushou wa/ha
Yoshida Shigeru (the) Prime Minister
この憲法
kono kenpou
the constitution
自衛権も
jiei’ken mo
right to defense
説明しました。
setsumei shimashita.
explained
政府は
Seifu wa/ha
Japanese government