Anti-war gathering held in Japan's Osaka

Anti-war songs are performed at a gathering in Osaka, Japan, July 1. More than 400 people attended the event organized by Japan-China Friendship Association Osaka Branch in Osaka's prefectural Dawn Center on Wednesday night to promote peace and friendship between China and Japan and request the Abe administration to reflect on WWII and withdraw the constitution- violating security bills. [Photo/Xinhua]

OSAKA - Over 400 people attended a gathering held by Japan-China Friendship Association Osaka Branch in Osaka's prefectural Dawn Center on Wednesday night, aiming to promote peace and friendship between China and Japan and request the Abe administration to reflect on WWII and withdraw the constitution- violating security bills.

Takesh Watanabe, president of Japan-China Friendship Association Osaka Branch, delivered a speech at the beginning of the gathering. "This year is the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII as well as the 70th anniversary of the end of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. I feel painful whenever thinking of the crimes that Japan committed in the war to China. Japan need to reflect on the war and let the younger generations know the true history. Only by doing that can Japan build a good relationship with its neighbors." he said.

"The Abe Administration's attempts to overstep the war- renouncing Article Nine of the Japanese Constitution are very dangerous for Japan. Japanese people do not want to be in war again. So we gathered here to protest and request Abe to acknowledge the history and withdraw the constitution-violating security bills."

A play about Teruko Hasegawa, a Japanese woman who devoted herself to helping Chinese people fighting against Japanese invasion during WWII by making broadcasts to the Japanese Army, was staged at the gathering. "I hope more Japanese people could know the part of the history and reflect on the war," said Hasegawa's daughter at the gathering.

A number of anti-war songs were sung at the gathering. At the end of the meeting, Article Nine of the Japanese Constitution was read aloud in Esperanto. People attending the gathering signed on a letter of proposal, requesting the Abe administration to face the history about WWII and withdraw the contentious security bills.

"Signing on the letter show our determination to support peace. This letter of proposal embodies the public opinion. I hope the Abe administration could acknowledge that," said a man attending the gathering.