Dictatorship Coming Back

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Vying unseasonably cold September rain,

Tens of thousands of people occupied the streets

In front of the nation’s parliamentary building.

They are shouting, “Protect the Pacifist Constitution!”.

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Inside the building

Ruling and opposition lawmakers are scuffling

Over the bills named “security”, sponsored by the government.

The bills call for the overseas deployment of Japan’s defense forces.

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Under our Pacifist Constitution

The use of forces for settlement of internal disputes is strictly banned.

It was drafted and promulgated after the end of the Pacific War in 1945.

Japan was then under the rule of the US-led occupation forces.

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Doesn’t matter who drafted the Constitution.

It reflected the sentiment of the entire people at that time all the same.

Its war-renouncing article has kept the country from going into war.

The people enjoyed the peace improving their living conditions.

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Our constitution is our Magna Carta.

It is for the people to govern the government.

But the Security Bills drafted by the government ignore its core stipulation.

That is why the oppositions and the most people call the bills “War Bills”

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Government trying to take over the Constitution in its own hand.

It insists it has the right to change the interpretation of the Constitution.

This means the manipulation of the Constitution by the government, or dictatorship.

If this is not dictatorship, what is dictatorship?

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While the people are shouting outside the parliament, dictatorship was in action.

The bills were rammed through the special committee of the upper house.

The ruling lawmakers scuffled in rugby style to avoid any further deliberation.

Chair’s voice was unheard by TV viewers and the bills were passed in confusion.

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Then all tactics by the opposition to kill the bills were to no avail.

The ruling camp that has the majority in the upper house naturally won.

About 90 percent of the constitutional scholars doubt the bill’s constitutionality.

The Constitution is written so clearly that this needs little argument.

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Then why the dictatorship?

Did the war-time dictators have a sweet dream of living like a king of the world?

Does that dream still run in the dynastic families of some lawmakers?

They argue the Constitution must be in accordance with the current world changes.

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Japan has to be ready militarily against any possible attack from outside, they argue.

This sounds a beautiful argument, I agree.

But the world developments both current in history prove:

“Violence begets violence.”

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I admit that it might be naïve to believe that

A country can spend all its energy for peace and prosperity,

Instead of resorting to wars to protect its interest

In today’s difficult world.

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Japan is surrounded by a number of dictatorial countries.

But behind the dictators running those counties,

There are full of peace-loving people

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By today’s technological development

It should not be all that difficult

For us to communicate directly with such people

For peace and prosperity of the entire world.

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Again, I admit such a thought could be our sweet dream.

But most of us believe it isn’t a childish dream.

Under the Pacifist Constitution that dream will come true.

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We are proud of our Pacifist Constitution to the world

That dream may now be on the verge of being shattered

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(September 2015, AshiAkira)

 

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