Costa Rica San Jose | July 18, 2009

A total of 30 passengers from Japan on the Peace Boat participated in discussions in the Centre of Friends for Peace in San Jose with members of the World March promotion team. During the talks the promotion video "We fell in love with a word: Peace" was shown.

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The participants asked for help from the World March to publicise the intention of the Japanese government to modify article 9 of the Japanese Constitution.  Article 9 has been considered as the basis of security in North East Asia, thanks to its fundamental principles such as the renunciation of war and the right of people to live in peace.

Nevertheless, over decades Japan has failed to fully comply with its constitutional obligations, for example, putting her Defence Forces in military cooperation with the USA.  Today, article 9 is under threat as the government proposes constitutional changes using, among other excuses, the crisis with North Korea.

Peace Boat is requesting that governments of different countries put pressure on the Japanese Government to hold back from carrying out such changes.

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Pressenza.org