2014-05: New Petition - Nobel prize for Art.9
Die Verfassung Japans. Artikel 9 der Friedensverfassung
New petition requesting Nobel Peace Prize for Article 9
Celine Nahory
2014年5月23日
Following the initiative led by Takasu Naomi that succeeded last month to get the "Japanese people who have abided by Article 9" nominated as contenders for the Nobel Peace Award, 60 politicians (mostly from the opposition) have filed a new request in support of Article 9 to the Nobel Committee.
Japanese politicians recommend Article 9 for Nobel Peace Prize
KYODO, MAY 22, 2014
A group of 60 Japanese lawmakers submitted a petition at the Norwegian Embassy in
Tokyo on Thursday requesting that the Nobel Committee award war-renouncing Article 9 of
the Japanese Constitution with the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Oslo-based prize committee is said to have accepted the nomination of Article 9 last
month as one of 278 candidates for the prize, with the winner set to be announced Oct.
10.
After handing its recommendation to the embassy, one of its originators, Hiroyuki Konishi
of the House of Councilors, said the pacifist charter as it stands today represents a global
ideal.
“The Japanese Constitution is the ideal the world should aim for,” the opposition
Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker said at a press conference.
Though most of the 60 lawmakers are from the opposition camp, two members of the
ruling Liberal Democratic Party are also among their ranks — Tadayoshi Nagashima and
Yasushi Kaneko of the House of Representatives.
The LDP, headed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, just drafted a set of proposals for
reinterpreting the Constitution so that war-renouncing Article 9 no longer poses a legal
hurdle to exercising the right to collective self-defense, or coming to the aid of an ally
under attack.
Article 9 of the Constitution, enacted in 1947, stipulates that Japan forever renounces war
and forbids the use of force, or its threat, to settle international disputes. It also bans
Japan from having the right to wage war or maintain war potential.