Japanese Government should Apologize and Compensate for the Past Aggression and Colonial Rule

DEAR Sir or Madam

On August 15th 2015, we will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of the World War II, that is, the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the peoples in the Korean peninsula and other Asian countries from the aggression and colonial rule of Japan.

In 2015, we will also commemorate the 50th anniversary of \\"Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and Republic of Korea\\" and the 20th anniversary of \\"Premier Murayama’s Statement\\" which reflected on and apologized for Japan’s aggressions and colonial rules over the Asian countries in the past.

The Japanese civilians were liberated from the disasters of war and the fascist rule of the military government of Japan defeated on August 15th 1945, and then took a new step with peaceful and democratic Constitution of Japan.  However, Japan has neither realized the idea of its Constitution nor built confidence or friendly relations with other Asian countries.

Although Japan has achieved economic growth since the war ended, it has escaped from atoning for its aggressions and colonial rules over Asian countries and from recognizing its responsibility for the fascist rule over its civilians during the war under the military support of U.S.A..

Especially, the Abe Cabinet has been plainly denying Japan\\'s responsibility for the war, pursuing hostile policies against China and north and south Koreas since it was organized. Moreover, Premier Abe visited Yasukuni Shrine to prompt angers of China, north and south Koreas, while trying to overthrow the official view of reflection on and apology for Japan’s aggressions and colonial rules over Asian countries in the past which the previous Japanese governments has maintained, and rousing nationalism in the policies of security and education. His nationalistic hard-line diplomacy has incur blames from many other countries; the foreign mass media are calling him \\"Revisionist\\".

At the ceremony for the 77th anniversary of  \\"Marco Polo Bridge Incident\\" on July 7th, Chinese leader Xi Jin-ping said \\"some people is swimming against the current by ignoring the facts of history and the lives lost in the war\\", \\"no one can glorify aggression\\". This is a strong criticism against Premier Abe, who made a cabinet decision to exercise so-called \\"a right to collective self-defense\\" with intention to use military forces allied with the U.S against China and DPRK.

Japan should face up to its own history and make efforts to build new relations with U.S.A and other Asian countries to accelerate peace and prosperity in Asian pacific region; accordingly, it is very important to activate communications and strengthen solidarity among the peoples of these countries.

\\"The Association of Civil Solidarity to Take a Step forward to a New East Asia on the Occasion of the 70th Anniversary of the World War Ended” was organized on August 27th 2014 to build cooperation with organizations for peace and human rights in Japan, U.S.A and Asian countries, aiming at the goals as follows:

1. Fundamentally solving the problems of Japan’s war crimes by demanding the Japanese government to apologize and compensate for the past aggression and colonial rule.

2. Promoting mutual understanding and sharing correct views of history with the peoples in Asia at the civilian levels.

3. Breaking away from the existing multilateral security system under the control of U.S.Ato build a collective security system of Asian countries’ own.

4. Making efforts to normalize the relation between Japan and DPRK based on \\" Pyongyang Declaration of Japan-DPRK on September 17th 2002\\".

5. Promoting the independent reunification of the Korean peninsula based on both \\"Joint Declarations of North and South Koreas on June 15th 2000 and October 4th 2007”.

We would like you to cooperate with us for achieving the aims. If you could support or join us, please send a name and address of you or your organization to the address: onekorea.hana@gmail.com by e-mail, so that you will be put on our list as a organization membership or a supporter’s organization

Organization Membership:
Forum Peace, Human Rights and Environment
Association for Succeeding and Developing \\" Premier Murayama’s Statement of on August 15th 2000\\"
Peace Boat
Campaign for Reconnecting Japan with ROK
The National Network for Japan-ROK Peoples’ Solidarity
Network of Supporters for Korean Schools in Japan
Association for Exchange of Education and Science between Japan and DPRK
Network for Opposing Exclusion of Korean schools from the Tuition Fee Waiver Programme for High School Education
Japan Committee for Supporting Independent Peaceful Reunification of Korea
Regional Committee of Koreans in Japan for Implementing June 15 Joint Declaration of North and South Korea.
The Team in Tokyo for Investigating Truth about Forced Korean Laborers

Supporters’ Organization:
Women\\'s Active Museum on War and Peace(WAM)
Union for Democratic Reunification of Korea in Japan
Center for Information of Northeast Asia in Hiroshima
Japanese Women\\'s Network for Solidarity with Korean Women
Labor Union in Fukuoka region
Association to Support Trial for Textbooks in Ehime

Thank you for your cooperation.
Best regards

Humihiro Himori
Chairman
The Japan Committee for Supporting Independent Peaceful Reunification of Korea