Saturday, December 04, 2004

I mentioned the Japanese renunciation of war as a valid path to resolution in the last post. Here's the actual article of renunciation in their constitution. It has a nice ring to it. I like the choice of words that begin it, "aspiring sincerely" and that it ends on resolute note.

CHAPTER II: RENUNCIATION OF WAR
Article 9:
Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes. 2) In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Japan was an agressive and abusive warrior nation up until the time of its defeat. Their constitution was written with the understanding that the conqueror (the USA) would provide for the defence of Japan. How well this will stand up in the years to come remains to be seen.

11:50 AM  
Blogger Christopher Barzak said...

Dudes, I understand the qualifications you're making. I understand it was something they weren't proactive about at the time. What I'm saying is whatever happened then isn't what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the point, not how it came about, and that now it's something they embrace fiercely, and don't understand why other cultures don't.

Sheesh, everyone's a historian... ;-) (I did have history courses too).

2:50 PM  

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