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| An Appeal from ‘the “Article Nine Association” of Sports-Lovers’ | ||
| “The Japanese constitution now faces a great challenge” warned the nine members of the “Article Nine Association,” Hisashi Inoue, Takeshi Umehara, Kenzaburo Oe, Yasuhiro Okudaira, Makoto Oda, Shuichi Kato, Hisae Sawachi, Shunsuke Tsurumi and Mutsuko Miki. They appeal to each and every citizen of Japan to join hands with the single aim of protecting the Constitution, and to fight for the peaceful future of Japan and the world, in opposition to the recent idea of ‘revising’ the Constitution, which, since it stipulates the renunciation of war and military forces, has contributed to the world peace. We sincerely accept their appeal, because a peaceful world without war is the only guarantee of sports activities and the development of friendship through them. While Japan was pursuing wars of invasion, sports were oppressed as enemy- culture and military disciplines as a ‘means of war’ took their place. Many promising athletes were forbidden activities and lost their precious lives in war. War destroyed peace by violence, deprived people of the freedom to enjoy sports and smothered their development. After the war our elders made up their minds never to repeat the bitter past again, and engaged themselves in putting into practice the Constitution’s fundamental ideals of peace, freedom and human rights. They founded the basis of exchanging friendship through sports and have contributed to their development today. No doubt the Constitution of the ‘war-renouncing country’ and the people’s innumerable exertions to materialize its ideals have brought us the happiness to enjoy sports now. Now that we have entered into the new era of the twenty-first century, are we not in a time to appreciate once again the significance of exchanging friendship in peace? The last Olympic Games in Athens demonstrated to us many sports-lovers’ making friends with each other. We have great confidence in those scenes, and ask every one of you to join in the movement to build a new prolific century free from war. It is especially significant that those sports-lovers who have the article nine of the Constitution of the ‘war-renouncing country’ should voice and act for peace. We agree to the appeal of the “Article Nine Association” and found ‘the “Article Nine Association” of Sports’ (abbrev. “Sports Nine”) and join the movement to stop Japan going back to being a ‘war-waging country.’ We, members of ‘the “Article Nine Association” of Sports,’ appeal to all those who love sports in a ‘war-renouncing country’ to unite hands with a sincere wish for peace and to exert what you can for the protection of the Constitution and article nine. December 24, 2004 Founding Members of ‘the “Article Nine Association” of Sports’ |
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