HEADQUARTERS
PEACE QUESTION DISCUSSED IN TOKYO
The research committee of peace question organized a research meeting in cooperation with the Liaison Conference for studying peace and democracy on March 17, where they discussed (1) the task for protecting the Constitution, (2) the task for reducing the US bases and (3) the task for totally eliminating of nuclear weapons, which were reviewed from the three aspects: (1) academic research activity, (2) citizens’ movements and (3) politics, respectively. Afterwards, they made a synthetic discussion and decided the coming activity for the above question.
LOCAL ACTIVITIES IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH
1. KYOTO BRANCH
The branch organized a reading meeting of the February edition of “Nihon-no-Kagakusha” (Journal of Japanese Scientists) in Kyoto City on February 22, where Prof. Hosokawa (Ryukoku Univ.) introduced the theme “Thinking of a competitive society”, which was followed by an exchange meeting.
2. OKINAWA BRANCH
On February 27, an emergency symposium “The damage of the depleted uranium” was held at Ryukyu University, where Dr. Lauren Moret (ex-researcher of Nuclear Arsenal Inst., geophysicist) gave a seminar on the theme. He touched upon (1) the evidence suffered from the depleted uranium bombs in the Iraq war and (2) the threat of nearby radioactive materials and our daily life.
3. OSAKA BRANCH
1) The Kansai-area’s colloquium for scientific workers in private enterprises was organized on March 4, where Dr. Kunimura (Osaka branch) gave a seminar on the earthquake and geophysics, which was followed by an exchange meeting.
2) In a meeting of the study group Contemporary capitalism on March 22, Dr. Manabe (Osaka branch) gave a seminar on an acceptable taxation system.
3) The study group Philosophy organized a meeting on March 23, where Prof. Matsushiro (Emeritus Prof. of Osaka Univ.) gave a lecture of de novo influenza virus on the basis of virological aspect.
4) The study group Energy problems held a meeting on March 24, where Prof. Aoyama (Kinki Univ.) gave a seminar “Environmental clock of this year” on the basis of environmental survey.
4. TOKYO BRANCH
1) The 24th Machida Science forum was organized on March 1 in Machida City, where Dr. Hitsuma (Meteorological Agency, ret.) gave a lecture “We disclose the truth of 9.11 terrorism” by using an audio-visual device.
2) The JSA headquarters has been stimulating to polish the to-be-published documents: (1) The declaration of rights and status of researchers and (2) The ethical code of researchers. The branch held a symposium “Let’s comprehensively discuss the researchers’ rights and status, and ethical code” on March 17 in Musashino City. In the keynote speech, Dr. Osada (Tokyo branch) gave a talk “Why we have to establish academic freedom, and researchers’ rights and ethical code – the rights are necessary for ethical existence of each individual”, which was followed by an enthusiastic discussion.
3) The Waseda University chapter organized a research meeting on March 20, where there were two talks: (1) Prof. Ito (Waseda Univ.) on the present status of news media and (2) Prof. Kitayama (Waseda Univ.) on environmental rights at the present time.
5. HOKKAIDO BRANCH
1) The branch held a colloquium on March 4 at Hokkaido University, where Prof. Wakana (Muroran Inst. Tech.) gave a seminar on the title “Sapporo Agricultural School and contemporary thought of ‘Uotsuki-rin’ (marine products depending on a forest)”. He proposed the importance of forestry management for marine products’ growth.
2) To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the branch foundation, a series of lectures has been prepared. The first one was held on March 7 at Hokkaido University, where Prof. Shoi (Hokaido Univ. of Ed.) lectured under the title “What we have to learn from the Finish educational innovation as the present educational task of Japan”.
6. ISHIKAWA BRANCH
The branch organized a study meeting on March 8, where they discussed the researchers’ rights and status, and ethical code, which forms a part of the campaign that the JSA headquarters has appealed to all branches and individual membership for their comprehensive discussion.
7. KAGOSHIMA BRANCH
On March 17 in Kagoshima City, the branch and other friendly organizations jointly organized the 22nd Kagoshima-network lecture meeting for extending the influence of the 9 Article of the Constitution on the world, where Prof. Asai (Meiji Univ.) gave a lecture entitled “The East-Asian peace and an option of Japan”, which was followed by a synthetic discussion.
DON’T FIGHT WARS!
In order to fight wars abroad in cooperation with the US army, the national referendum bill to revise the Constitution of Japan is now discussing in the present Diet session. On February 27, a governmental panel on the strengthening of national security functions of the Prime Minister’s Official Residence submitted its final report to Prime Minister Abe, calling for an establishment of National Security Council (NSC) modeled after the US’s NSC. As acknowledged by the panel report, the Japan’s version of NSC will play the role of the control tower to pursue the US-Japan global alliance strategy under the guide of the prime minister. They say, “The current Security Council of Japan has nothing to do with the defense of Japan, since it does not presuppose the dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) to take part in the US preemptive wars in Iraq and Afghanistan”. Now Mr. Abe intends to set up the new council in order to expand Japan’s diplomatic and military roles in the world to meet the US demands, which basically lies in dispatching the SDF abroad, and through the direct links with the White House, he also aims at quickly realizing the US plans and setting out policies to meet the US expectation under the disguise of implementation Japan’s own initiative. The establishment of the proposed council will inevitably deepen Japan’s subordination to the US, which totally goes against the peace principle of the Constitution of Japan. There is no future for forces pursuing the Japan-US military alliance-first policy in defiance of the world trend pushing for peace. At this moment, we have to make our most efforts to defend the Article 9 of the Constitution of Japan, which necessarily makes war end forever. Therefore the set of NSC must not be allowed. (S. YUASA)
THE 53RD BIKINI DAY AND ITS CONTEMPORARY SIGNIFICANCE
On March 1, marking the 53rd anniversary of the Bikini tragedy in which a Japan’s fishing boat was showered with radioactive fallout of the US hydrogen bomb test explosion on Bikini Atoll in Pacific, peace marches and rallies were organized in Yaizu City in Shizuoka Prefecture. Pledging to fight for the abolition of nuclear weapons, participants offered flowers at the tomb of Aikichi Kuboyama who had been on board “Daigo Fukuryu Maru” (the 5th Lucky Dragon) and died of diseases caused by the radioactive fallout. In the rallies it was pointed out that the Japanese movement against A and H Bombs that began in the wake of the Bikini tragedy has helped to create the worldwide current demanding the total abolition of nuclear weapons. We need further power of public opposition to nuclear weapons, which necessarily press the government to make a declaration of a nuclear weapon-free Japan to the UN to call for the total abolition of nuclear weapon and to declare that Japan keeps the Three Non-Nuclear Principles. (S. YUASA)