by Jennifer Teeter

Created on: April 02, 2008

Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution makes the World Heritage List...April Fools!

Activists of all ages could be spotted throughout Tokyo distributing "April Fool's Extras" announcing that Japan's Article 9, the peace article of the Japanese Constitution, was selected to become a part of World Heritage. As one passerby expressed, "Hopefully, Article 9 will not become just another monument protected as world heritage." Rather, the hope is that the concepts behind Article 9 will spread throughout the world, and will never represent an idea of past. Article 9 is the way of the future.

To that affect, the special edition noted that from May 4-6 at the Global Article 9 Conference in Japan, Nobel Peace Laureates, intellectuals, cultural figures and NGO activists, and citizens from all walks of life will convene to discuss what the citizens of the world can do to realize the principle of Article 9, through promoting disarmament, demilitarization and a culture of peace, and create an international movement for realization of "peace without force." Keynote speakers include 1976 Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire from Peace People, Northern Ireland and Cora Weiss from the US Hague Appeal for Peace. There will also be video messages from 2004 Nobel Laureate Wangari Muta Maathai from Kenya and Desmond Tutu. There will be musical performances by international and Japanese artists; symposiums on topics ranging from providing non-violent alternatives to contemporary conflicts to Article 9 and women; and a variety of workshops and panel discussions.

The groups convening at this conference in particular hope that Article 9, an international oath declaring No to War, can act as "an international peace mechanism towards reductions in military spending, promotion of nuclear-weapon-free zones, ending violence against women, supporting conflict prevention, and mitigating the negative environmental impact of the military." If all of the resources spent on the military were reallocated to sustainable development, poverty alleviation, and education, we would have a much more peaceful existence that would not necessitate war. If Japan can fight the urge to revise this article, perhaps it can pave the way towards peace in the world.

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