Off the wire
• 1 more MERS infection added in S. Korea, first in 5 days  • Tokyo stocks open sharply higher in early trading after overseas equity gains  • Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, July 2  • Premier Li welcomes OECD's role in China's modernization  • 2nd LD Writethru: UN chief slams attack on South Sudanese civilians in UN Mission site  • Dollar trades in lower 123 yen range in early Tokyo trading  • Djokovic, Sharapova, Williams reach third round in record heat  • Urgent: UN chief slams attack on South Sudanese civilians in UN Mission site  • U.S. Pentagon warns of possible IS attacks around Independence Day  • 1st LD: UN chief slams attack on South Sudanese civilians in UN Mission site  
You are here: 　 Home

Anti-war gathering held in Japan's Osaka

Xinhua, July 2, 2015 Adjust font size:

Over 400 people attended a gathering held by Japan-China Friendship Association Osaka Branch in Osaka's prefectural Dawn Center on Wednesday night, aiming to promote peace and friendship between China and Japan and request the Abe administration to reflect on WWII and withdraw the constitution- violating security bills.

Takesh Watanabe, president of Japan-China Friendship Association Osaka Branch, delivered a speech at the beginning of the gathering. "This year is the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII as well as the 70th anniversary of the end of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. I feel painful whenever thinking of the crimes that Japan committed in the war to China. Japan need to reflect on the war and let the younger generations know the true history. Only by doing that can Japan build a good relationship with its neighbors." he said.

"The Abe Administration's attempts to overstep the war- renouncing Article Nine of the Japanese Constitution are very dangerous for Japan. Japanese people do not want to be in war again. So we gathered here to protest and request Abe to acknowledge the history and withdraw the constitution-violating security bills."

A play about Teruko Hasegawa, a Japanese woman who devoted herself to helping Chinese people fighting against Japanese invasion during WWII by making broadcasts to the Japanese Army, was staged at the gathering. "I hope more Japanese people could know the part of the history and reflect on the war," said Hasegawa's daughter at the gathering.

A number of anti-war songs were sung at the gathering. At the end of the meeting, Article Nine of the Japanese Constitution was read aloud in Esperanto. People attending the gathering signed on a letter of proposal, requesting the Abe administration to face the history about WWII and withdraw the contentious security bills.

"Signing on the letter show our determination to support peace. This letter of proposal embodies the public opinion. I hope the Abe administration could acknowledge that," said a man attending the gathering. Endi