Rallies show support for Peace Constitution • National Referendum Law Goes Into Effect May 18 • 2009 Street Poll Shows 81% support Article 9

The Japan Times reported on this year's rally in Tokyo (joining parallel rallies throughout Japan) supporting Article 9:

Meanwhile, thousands of people gathered in Tokyo's Hibiya Park to mark the 63rd anniversary of the Constitution and display their opposition to any revision.

"I will not allow change to Article 9," Mizuho Fukushima, head of the SDP, one of the DPJ's junior coalition partners, told the gathering organized by pacifist groups.

"Now a national referendum law is about to be enforced. But there is much homework to be done. I will not allow the 'kenpo shinsakai' (a constitutional research panel in both Diet chambers)" to get under way."

The national referendum law, which stipulates the procedures for Constitutional amendments, is scheduled to take effect May 18.

The law was established in 2007 under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of the Liberal Democratic Party with an eye to amending Article 9, which prohibits Japan from possessing a military and renounces the use of force as a means of settling international disputes. However, since the DPJ came to power, no active discussion has taken place concerning the Constitution.

"Because of the pacifist charter, we can live happily. As a junior coalition party, I will do my best to keep the philosophy of the Constitution alive," Fukushima said.

Yuko Tanaka, a professor at Hosei University who specializes in the culture of the Edo Period, said: "We must protect Article 9. But we should not protect the pacifist charter by putting it into a museum."

Tanaka noted that the most important issue now is moving U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma out of Okinawa.

"What we must also be aware of is that there could be movements of rearmament of the Self-Defense Forces after the relocation of the bases. If we see any signs of such movements, we must stop them," she said.

"It is important for Japanese citizens to get together and protect Article 9," said Kunio Kubota, an 86-year-old Tokyo resident, who has been attending the gathering every year for the past decade. "We have Futenma and other issues that should not be overlooked. . . . With the referendum law about to take place May 18, I'm on alert for the government's next move."

A grassroots Japanese group regularly conducts extensive street polls and shares the result at this website.

Member Masumi Mukai states: "Last year the focus was Article 9 of the Constitution of Japan. Votes for "Want to maintain Article 9" prevailed at 81%. The total number of votes exceeded 15,000, at 80 locations around the country.