Joint Statement for Peace in Asia
We are citizens’ organisations engaged in the consumer movement and consumer cooperative activities in South Korea and Japan. As we promote efforts to protect the rights of consumers and citizens, we are heartbroken that many people are embroiled in wars and conflicts around the world, such as the war in Russia and Ukraine and the fighting between Israel and Palestine.
War takes and maims all life, including children, and destroys everything that sustains life. We saw this first-hand in the two World Wars. In World War II, Japan inflicted indescribable damage on Korea and other Asian countries. Upon reflection, the citizens of Japan resolved in the Constitution of Japan to ensure that the horrors of war would never again be caused by the actions of the government, and pledged to Asia and the world that the mistakes would never be repeated.
However, in 2022, the Japanese Government revised three documents on security and announced a plan to double defense spending to a total of 43 trillion yen (about 374.5 trillion won) over the next five years in the name of deterrence. This is a 180-degree turnaround in Japan’s approach to security, from the previous policy of exclusive defense to pre-emptive attack, and an attempt to once again push the country into war. In response to this situation, a joint statement by consumers in Japan calling for the withdrawal of the three security documents has been issued, with the support of over 90 organisations.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Japan and South Korea both rank around the top ten in the world’s military expenditure rankings. Conflicts and tensions continue in many parts of the world, but we know from past war experience that the expansion of armaments is never a deterrent, but paves the way for war. Wars do not start suddenly one day, but creep into our lives little by little. At a time when the global arms build-up is underway, Asian consumer and civil society organisations need to unite in solidarity and appeal for anti-war and peace.
All people on earth have the right to live in peace and security. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that ‘Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.’ Peace is not merely the absence of war and conflict, but a state of peace and prosperity, free from violence, poverty, oppression of human rights, discrimination and environmental destruction. Above all, we believe that human dignity must be taken seriously. We see each situation that threatens this as our own and urge that all international confrontational challenges be resolved not by force but by dialogue.
We hereby resolve to continue dialogue and exchange in order to further broaden and deepen the links between people in search of peace and never to provoke war.
30 August 2024
Calling Organizations:
Dure Consumer’s Cooperative Union (South Korea)
http://dure-coop.or.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=B21&wr_id=552
Shufuren Association of Consumer Organisations (Japan)
https://shufuren.net/en/
Consumers Union of Japan (Japan)
https://www.nishoren.org/en/
21 organisations have endorsed the Asia Peace Joint Statement as of 25 November 2024. In addition to Japan and South Korea we have received endorsements from six civil society organisations in Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Taiwan:
全日本農民組合連合会
よつ葉生活協同組合
ふぇみん婦人民主クラブ
全大阪消費者団体連絡会
世田谷・生活者ネットワーク
嘉島町の命とみらいを守る会
Ｉ女性会議
高木学校
若葉・九条の会
日本アジア・アフリカ・ラテンアメリカ連帯委員会（日本AALA）
特定非営利活動法人コンシューマーズ京都（京都消団連）
生活協同組合・消費者住宅センター
中野区消費者団体連絡会
生活協同組合あいコープみやぎ
生活協同組合コープ自然派兵庫
SHISUK (Bangladesh)
GE Free NZ in Food and Environment (New Zealand)
Consumers’ Association of Penang (Malaysia)
Friends of the Earth Malaysia (Malaysia)
Indonesian Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas – InDHRRA (Indonesia)
Taiwan’s Anti-war Network (Taiwan)
Here are some of the messages we received along with the endorsement (as of 28 November 2024):
Zen Nihon Noumin Kumiai Rengokai: “Peace in Asia is an important issue for food and agriculture. Let’s work hard together!”
Femin Women’s Democratic Club: “We oppose all wars. Peace cannot be created by violence. Article 9 of the Constitution is a present for our future children!”
Zen Osaka Shohishadantai Renrakukai: “We deeply sympathize with the statement. Expansion of armaments is not a deterrent but a path to war, and war does not start suddenly one day but creeps into our lives little by little. Let us advance anti-war and peace through solidarity among consumer and civil groups in Asia.”
Setagaya-Seikatsu-sha Network: “Tension is rising in the sea between Korea and Japan. Now is the time to join hands for peace.”
Japan Asia-Africa-Latin America Solidarity Committee (Japan AALA) “Don’t make war! No War, No Country! Make East Asia a Community of Non-War, Peace, Cooperation, and Prosperity is our campaign slogan. Let’s work together.”
GE Free NZ in Food and Environment (New Zealand): “Peace is the only security.”
Indonesian Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas – InDHRRA (Indonesia): “Children, farmers, fisherfolk, rural women, living creatures, and nature suffer as a result of the lust of a few power-hungry people. It’s time to rethink war to stop war.”
Consumers’ Cooperative Ai Co-op Miyagi: “Japan is progressing into a country capable of war. We feel a sense of crisis that we are said to be on the eve of war. We strongly wish for peace in Asia and world peace, and will continue to demand the withdrawal of the three security-related documents. We recognize the past wars as a mistake, and we support this petition so that no one’s life will be lost or taken away.”
How to sign:
We are asking citizens’ organisations (NGOs) around the world to sign this statement. We are aiming for 15 August 2025 to commemorate the end of WW2. The first deadline is 31 December 2024 and the second deadline is 31 July 2025.
Please click to sign the Joint Statement here (in English)
Joint Statement in Japanese:
アジア平和共同声明
私たちは日本と韓国で消費者運動、生活協同組合活動を行っている市民団体です。消費者・生活者の権利を守るための取り組みを進める私たちは、ロシア・ウクライナ戦争、イスラエル・パレスチナ間の戦闘など、世界各地で起こっている戦争や紛争に多くの市民が巻き込まれていることに心を痛めています。
戦争は、子どもたちを含むあらゆるいのちを奪い、傷つけ、生活を支える何もかもを破壊します。私たちは二度の世界大戦でそれを目の当たりにしました。第二次世界大戦において日本は韓国をはじめとするアジアの国々に筆舌に尽くしがたい被害を与えました。その反省の上に立って日本の市民は、日本国憲法において政府の行為によって再び戦争の惨禍が起こることのないようにすることを決意し、過ちを二度と繰り返すまいとアジアをはじめ世界に誓ったはずでした。
ところが、2022年に日本政府は安全保障に関する３文書を改定、抑止力の名の下に防衛費を今後5年間で総額43兆円（約374兆5000ウォン）に倍増する計画を打ち出しました。それまでの専守防衛から先制攻撃へと安全保障の考え方を180度転換して、再び戦争に突き進もうとしています。このような事態に対して、日本では安保３文書の撤回を求める消費者共同声明を発表し、90を超える団体が賛同しています。
スウェーデンのストックホルム国際平和研究所によると、世界の軍事費ランキングで日本と韓国はともに上位10位前後に位置しています。世界各地で紛争や緊張が続いていますが、私たちは、過去の戦争の経験から、軍備拡大は決して抑止力にならず、戦争への道をひらくものであることを知っています。戦争はある日突然始まるのではなく、少しずつくらしに忍び寄ってくるものです。世界的に軍拡の動きが進行する今こそ、アジアの消費者団体・市民団体は連帯し、反戦と平和を訴える必要があります。
地球上の全ての人々は、穏やかに安心して生きる権利があります。「世界人権宣言」でも、「すべて人は、生命、自由及び身体の安全に対する権利を有する」と謳われています。「平和」とは、単に戦争や紛争のない状態を指すのではなく、暴力、貧困、人権の抑圧、差別、環境破壊等がない、安らかで豊かな状態のことです。なにより、人間の尊厳を重く見なければならないと考えます。私たちはこれを脅かす事態をそれぞれ自身のこととして捉え、国際的なすべての対立的課題を、武力ではなく対話で解決することを強く求めます。
私たちは平和を求める人と人との繋がりを一層広げるとともに深化させ、決して戦争を引き起こさせないために対話と交流を続けることをここに決意します。
2024年8月30日
ドゥレ消費者生活協同組合連合会（韓国）
主婦連合会（日本）
日本消費者連盟（日本）
