Is the Article 9 of Japan’s Constitution Worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize?

Close Up Japan | 日本国憲法第9条はノーベル平和賞に値する⁉

Is the Article 9 of Japan’s Constitution Worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize?

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月はちがつ
Hachi/8 gatsu ga
August
ちかづく
chikazu/duku
approaches
to
as
日本にほん
Nihon no
Japanese
メディアめでぃあは、
medhia wa/ha,
(the) media
戦争せんそう
sensou
war
についての
ni tsuite no
about
特別とくべつ報道ほうどう
tokubetsu’houdou o/wo
special reports
準備じゅんびします。
junbi shimasu.
prepares
8月はちがつ
Hachi/8 gatsu wa/ha
August
広島ひろしま
Hiroshima
Hiroshima
to
and
長崎ながさき
Nagasaki
Nagasaki
ni
in
原子げんし爆弾ばくだん
genshi’bakudan ga
atomic bombs
投下とうかされ、
touka sare,
were dropped
また
mata
(it’s) also
だい世界せかい大戦たいせん
Dai’niji Sekai’Taisen
the Second World War
de
in
日本にほん
Nihon ga
Japan
敗戦はいせん
haisen o/wo
defeat
れた
ukeireta
(when) accepted
つき
tsuki
(is the) month (when)
だから
dakara
because
です。
desu.
(this) is
今年ことし
Kotoshi wa/ha
this year
いつも
itsumo
usual
より、
yori,
more ~ than
戦争せんそう
sensou
war
to
and
平和へいわ
heiwa
peace
についての
ni tsuite no
about
論議ろんぎ
rongi ga
(the) debate
メディアめでぃあ
medhia
(the) media
de
in
あつ
atsuku
passionate
なりそうです。
narisou desu.
will be
日本にほん
Nihon wa/ha
Japan
戦後せんご
sengo,
after (the) war
平和へいわ主義しゅぎ
heiwa’shugi o/wo
pacifist
つらぬき、
tsuranuki,
has remained and
どの
dono
other
くに
kuni
nations
とも
tomo
with
たたかったことはありません。
tatakatta koto wa/ha arimasen.
has not fought
しかし
Shikashi
however
近年きんねん
kinnnen wa/ha
(in) recent years
日本人にほんじん
Nihonjin no
Japanese
おおくが
ooku ga
many
中国ちゅうごく
Chuugoku
China
ya
and
北朝鮮きたちょうせん
Kita’chousen
North Korea
no
of
軍事的ぐんじてき
gunjiteki
militaristic
言動げんどう
gendou
(the) comments (and) actions
ni
by
脅威きょうい
kyoui o/wo
threatened
かんじています。
kanjite imasu.
feel
その圧力あつりょく
Sono atsuryoku ni
this pressure
対抗たいこうするために、
taikou suru tame ni,
to withstand
安倍あべ総理そうり
Aabe’souri wa/ha
Abe Prime Minister
抑止力よくしりょく
yokushi’ryoku
(a) deterrent
として
to shite
as
日米にちべい安全あんぜん保障ほしょう条約じょうやく
Nichibei anzen’hoshou jouyaku o/wo
US-Japan security treaty
ベースべーすにした
be-su ni shita
based on
集団的しゅうだんてき自衛権じえいけん
shuudanteki’jieiken o/wo
(the) right of collective defense
もちいる
mochiiru
to use
提案ていあんをしています。
teian o/wo shite imasu.
propose
しかし
Shikashi
however
現行げんこう
genkou no
current
憲法けんぽう
kenpou
(the) constitution
9きゅうじょうは、
kyuu/9 jou wa/ha,
article nine (of)
戦争せんそう
sensou o/wo
(a) war
することは
suru koto wa/ha
embarking on
もとより、
moto yori,
not only
軍隊ぐんたい
guntai o/wo
(a) military
つこと
motsu koto
having
さえも
sae mo
but also
きんじています。
kinjite imasu.
bans
憲法けんぽう
Kenpou o/wo
(the) constitution
える
kaeru
change
には、
niwa/ha,
in order to
衆議院しゅうぎいん
Shuugiin
(the) House of Representatives
to
and
参議院さんぎいん
Sangiin
(the) House of Councilors
de
in
3さん分のぶんの2
san/3 bun no ni/2
two thirds (of)
以上いじょう
ijou no
over
議員ぎいんが、
giin ga,
Diet members
また
mata
as well as
国民こくみん
kokumin
citizens
no
of
過半数かはんすう
kahansuu ga
(the) majority
賛成さんせい
sansei
be in favor
しなければなりません。
shinakere ba narimasen.
have to
この
Kono
this
ハードルはーどる
ha-doru ga
(a) obstacle
たか
takai
is serious
ため、
tame,
since
安倍あべ総理そうり
Abe’souri wa/ha
Abe Prime Minister
憲法けんぽう
kenpou o/wo
(the current) constitution
えずに
kaezu ni
without changing
憲法けんぽう
kenpou
(the) constitution
no
of
解釈かいしゃく
kaishaku o/wo
(the) interpretation
えることで
kaeru koto de
by changing
集団的しゅうだんてき自衛権じえいけん
shuudanteki’jieiken o/wo
collective defense
可能かのうにしようと
kanou ni shiyou to
to make possible
すすめています。
susumete imasu.
is trying
現行げんこう
Genkou no
(the) present
憲法けんぽう
kenpou ga
constitution
できた
dekita
was established
あと
ato,
after
当時とうじ
touji no
then
吉田よしだしげる首相しゅしょう
YOSHIDA Shigeru Shushou wa/ha
Yoshida Shigeru (the) Prime Minister
この憲法けんぽう
kono kenpou
the constitution
では
dewa/ha
under
自衛権じえいけん
jiei’ken mo
right to defense
ない
nai
(Japan) has no
to
that
説明せつめいしました。
setsumei shimashita.
explained
政府せいふ
Seifu wa/ha
Japanese government

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