Aiming for a“Conscientious Objector Nation.”

ODA Makoto

　I believe that Japan should be a nation that conscientiously objects to the use of armed force.

This is the Constitution of Japan - a way the nation should be , based on the concepts of a

‘peace constitution,’and ‘pacifism,’and also a way of making a contribution to the world.

　However,‘pacifism’is not just a matter of being peace-loving,nor of merely safeguarding the

constitution.‘Pacifism’rests on the principle that there is no justification for war, and the

practice of devoting oneself to the resolution of problems or conflicts through non-violent

means, without resort to armed force.

　I am not just talking about ideals and dreams. I am talking about a situation rooted in the

reality of the times. In Germany and other western European democratic nations,since the

end of the Second World War, the rights of‘conscientious objectors’ have been enshrined in law

-this is a political reality. When young people in such countries come of age, they have the

choice of becoming a‘soldier’or they can object to such a move, and become a ‘conscientious

objector.’In 1999, in Germany, the number of people wishing to ‘object’increased by 2,000 over

the previous year, for a total of more than 174,000 conscientious objectors. In contrast to this

figure, in 1999, there were a mere 112,000 young people who elected to become ‘soldiers.’

　The act of‘objecting’is not merely a refusal to hold a gun. ‘Conscientious objectors’must, as

an alternative to the military service of the‘soldiers,’carry out civic service. The period of civic

service may last longer than that of military service, and consists of being a volunteer in public

services, such as assisting the socially underprivileged, or working in the emergency services,

or in the provision of peace education. At the present time, 11-17% of the workforce engaged

in the care of the elderly in Germany is accounted for by ‘objectors’working as volunteers in

this field. There figures show just how significant their contribution to the welfare of German

society is. There are not negative or passive actions.

　One such ‘objector’said the following to me:“The world will not change through military

service. The actual practice of pacifism through the civic service of ‘objectors’will improve

society and change the world.”

　War breeds war, and‘just wars’have mostly been a case of deception. Also, advances in

weapons, whether used in a‘just war’or otherwise, have brought terrible instances of genocide

and destruction to humankind. As long as we refuse to renounce war, the world will face

destruction. Such a history has strengthened an awareness of pacifism throughout the world,

and let to legislation for‘conscientious objectors.’

　In the same sense of awareness, I strongly advocate that Japan,in extension of the concept

of the‘conscientious objector’should actively practice pacifism, and become a‘Conscientious

Objector Nation.’

　Although Japan has a peace constitution based upon pacifism, and even though it has been

refusing to join in‘military service,’there has been no pacifism established in national policies

as a whole.

　Greece, a county with long experience of such troubled history, strongly opposed the

NATO air strikes in Yugoslavia, although Greece is a member of NATO. The Greeks stated that

outside intervention in the form of military action would make it even more diffcult to resolve

problems related to the complicated ethnic relationships of the Balkan peninsula, and they

pushed hard for a perceful resolution to the troubles. The efforts of the Greeks were clearly

strongly rooted in pacifism, while Japan, with its“Peace Constitution,”did nothing. Indeed,

Japan showed ready agreement to the air strikes, and expanded and strengthened the Japan-

US Security Treaty, thus revealing themselves to be clearly on the side of the military

interventionists.

‘Humanitarian intervention’has become a popular concept throughout the world. Wars

carried out in the name of this concept are becoming the‘just wars’of the present day, with

their ensuing armaments and increased military cooperation, but any military intervention,

including that in Kosovo, generally ends in failure. East Timor is a rare example of successful

intervention, but this was due to pacifist movenents on an international scale carried out

before and after intervention took place.

　Revolutionary political reforms in Indonesia, Yugoslavia, and the Philippines are also

developing at the hands of the citizens of each nation, through non-violent means.

　There is no space here to go into detailed debate(details are given in my recent work

”Hitori demo Yaru,Hitoridemo Yameru” ;Chikuma Shobo Press),but what we as Japanese citizens

should be doing, rather than impatiently or blindly debating constitutional refrom or calling for

mere safeguarding of the present constitution, is returning to a true pacifist position and

thinking sincerely about how Japan, as a‘Conscientious Objector Nation,’can put the pacifism

of civic service into actual practice, debating this issue and making such civic service a reality.

　The nation as a whole can take action on aid for refugees, on the realization of world-wide

opposition to nuclear arms, on debt-relief or cancellation for developing nations.We can

mediate in peace negotiations for a successful outcome, or work with individual conscientious

objectors for disaster relief carried out by young people. There are plenty of things we should be

doing as a nation. Things that will help the world. That will lead to peace.

Source :(Asahi News’Rondan[Platform for Debate])’- dated 18 June, 2000. Some phrases

have been revised or appended.)