March 18, 2003
Japan Council against A and H Bombs
In the evening on March 17, President Bush made a speech to issue an ultimatum for the military attack on Iraq.
1. As is known, an actual effort for the solution of the Iraq problem is continuing through the United Nations Organization. No individual country has the right to disregard it and launch a military attack unilaterally. The action being planned by the Bush administration is a grave violation of the UN Charter.
2. As regards the Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, not only have the overwhelming majority of governments, supported by the widest world public opinion, made the utmost effort for the peaceful resolution of the problem, but the liquidation of such weapons and inspections are actually in progress. It is evidently unlawful to resort to the use of force even in the light of the actual development of the issue, when the possibility of the peaceful solution is so evident.
3. Prime minister Koizumi, however, continues sticking to its subservience to the US even at this juncture, in expressing his support for the unlawful war. This attitude amounts to both the challenge against the will of over 80% of the Japanese people who support the peaceful resolution and the violation of the Japanese Constitution, that bans the use of force as means to resolve international conflict. We demand that the Koizumi government abide by the Constitution as its minimum obligation and lodge protest against the move for war.
4. We are also deeply concerned tha that the Bush administration is preparing to use massive radiological, DU weapons, the so-called MOAB having huge destructive power and other inhuman weapons and that it even suggest the use of nuclear weapons as a possible “option”. The military attack should be prevented, from the viewpoint to avoid this danger.
5. Facing the present critical development, we call on all Japanese citizens to turn their concern on war and their desire for peace into action. As the nation that rose up from the nuclear catastrophe and values the peace Constitution, let us act together to stop the war.