 |
3-25-05, 11:07 am
Thousands in Japan Demand Troop Withdrawal from Iraq
"The U.S. must stop occupying Iraq! All foreign forces must withdraw from Iraq!"--chanted peace activists joined by many citizens in demonstration marches and various peace actions in major cities in Japan on March 20, marking the second anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
In Tokyo, about 6,000 people gathered at the Hibiya Amphitheater Hall and marched in demonstration through the Ginza.
The rally was sponsored by an organizing committee made up of the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), religious groups, the Ground, Air and Port-related Unions Navigation Safety Council consisting of 20 organizations, and others.
Speakers included Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo, Social Democratic Party representative Hosaka Nobuto, an Iraqi citizen resident in Japan, and a former Japanese ambassador to Lebanon.
Shii demanded that the U.S. withdraw its troops from Iraq within a set time, and pointed out that the Self-Defense Forces units have no reason to stay in Iraq now that their "humanitarian and reconstruction" assistance through helping supply water has already ended in Samawah.
"By continuing to deploy the SDF, Japan is only trying to show its loyalty to the U.S. All SDF soldiers must return home to their families," Shii added.
Do you subscribe to Political Affairs?click image to find out how
|
In Osaka, in a demonstration of their wish to defend the Constitution's Article 9, about 8,000 people lined up to form "Peace 9" in Kanji (Chinese characters). Similar "human letters" of "Article 9" appeared in Nagoya City in Aichi Prefecture (on March 19).
In Kyoto, more than 700 strollers on the riverbed of River Kamo wrote responses on colored paper to the question, "What's the most important thing you don't want to be robbed of in the event of a war?"
About 2,000 young people held an anti-war event entitled, "Peace Festa 2005 in Hyogo." Participants performed street dances, played guitars and drums, asking passers-by to write their wishes of "No to the Iraq war" on colored paper.
|
Japan is used as permanent stepping stone for U.S. war against Iraq
In the two years since the start of the U.S.-led war of aggression against Iraq, about 10,000 U.S. troops participated in the war from U.S. bases in Japan. Even after the beginning of the occupation of Iraq, the U.S. has been continuously sending troops from Japan to Iraq. This shows that Japan has become a permanent sortie base for U.S. wars.
Major U.S. forces sent from Japan to Iraq include 5 fighting ships based at the U.S. Yokosuka Naval Base (Kanagawa), including the Kitty Hawk carrier battle group ships, a Kitty Hawk carrier air wing based at the U.S. Atsugi Air Station (Kanagawa), the F16 fighter squadron based in the U.S. Misawa Air Base (Aomori), and the F15 fighter squadron based in the U.S. Kadena Air Base (Okinawa).
A missile cruiser from the Yokosuka base took part in the first missile attack on the very first day of the Iraq war. The Atsugi-based air wing carried out intense strikes against Iraq, using cluster bombs.
In February 2004, a U.S. Marine Corps infantry unit of about 3,000 and a helicopter unit left Okinawa to join the occupation forces in Iraq. In August, about 2,200 personnel of the Okinawa-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit were sent to Iraq on three battle ships, including the amphibious assault ship Essex stationed at the U.S. Sasebo base (Nagasaki).
Indiscriminate killing of Iraqi citizens
The first Okinawa-based Marine units were involved in the indiscriminate massacre in Fallujah in April, as was the second unit in November.
After the Iraq war, about 100 to 300 U.S. troops have been routinely sent to Iraq, Afghanistan, and their neighboring countries from U.S. air bases in Misawa, Kadena, and Yokota (Tokyo) in order to provide logistic support. They went to Iraq as part of the Air and Space Expeditionary Force (AEF).
They are normally working in the fields of construction, communication, medical care, logistic support, weather, and police. In January, Misawa and Yokota bases sent 280 personnel.
A U.S. Marine Corps special reconnaissance unit in Okinawa and a Yokosuka-stationed destroyer have taken part in the missions in Iraq.
--From Akahata
|
|
|
|
