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On August 6, DPJ President Banri Kaieda attended a memorial ceremony in Hiroshima city marking the 68th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the city, participating in prayers for the victims of the bombing and calls for world peace. He was accompanied by Acting Secretary General Sumio Mabuchi and DPJ Diet member Shinji Morimoto, who was elected to the Diet from Hiroshima prefecture in last month’s House of Councillors election.
Following the ceremony, which included the reading of the Peace Declaration by the Mayor of Hiroshima City Kazumi Matsui, Kaieda spoke to reporters. He said, “Having participated in this 68th Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony, in such a grave atmosphere, I strongly felt that I must work hard toward realizing a nuclear-free world.” Kaieda added, “We are now coming to a delicate era in which peace in East Asia becomes an issue. I believe that the DPJ should take responsibility for dealing with this issue. To this end I think that we must create a nuclear-free East Asia as soon as possible.”
Kaieda also commented about the issue of the collective right to self-defence, saying, “We have engaged in repeated discussions within the party, and we as a whole have confirmed that we must put a stop to the government of the day interpreting the constitution as it suits them at the time.” He added, “Recognition of the collective right to self-defence should not take place by shifting the goalposts through changing the interpretation of the constitution, and I believe that we must deepen our discussion within the framework of this larger awareness.”
Kaieda also attended the memorial ceremony at Nagasaki on August 9, along with Diet Affairs Committee Chair Yoshiaki Takaki and Acting Secretary General Sumio Mabuchi. Kaieda and Vice Speaker of the House of Representatives Hirotaka Akamatsu laid wreaths in memory of the victims of the atomic bombing.
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