[Original issued on October 11, 2023; Translated by A. Turner/K. Takemura] On 11th October, a group of four Japanese NGOs offering support to Palestine came together to deliver a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As of 10th October local time, more than 900 people in Israel and 900 in Gaza have perished, and casualties on both sides number in the thousands. No more lives can be lost. We call for the Japanese Government to make every diplomatic effort to encourage both parties to consider mediation. Request from Japanese NGOs To: Ms. Yōko Kamikawa, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan The exchange of missiles between Palestine and Israel over…
We strongly oppose the Official Security Assistance (OSA), a military aid that denies Japan’s non-military principles in international cooperation
[Original issued by NGO No War Network (June 6, 2023); Translated by A. Turner/K. Takemura] On the 5th of April, the Japanese government announced the implementation of Official Security Assistance (OSA), a means of providing defense and military equipment to the armed forces of like-minded countries. Set out in the National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy, and Defense Build-Up Program (hereafter “Three Security Documents”) all released in December 2022, OSA represents a major shift in Japan’s international cooperation strategy. The NGO No War Network was founded in 2002 in opposition to the Iraq War. As civil society actors who are conducting international cooperation activities, we have since raised our voices…
We made a press release on the revision of the Development Cooperation Charter (DCC): “Call for a Charter that truly stands for Human Security!”
On December 9, 2022, a report was submitted by the Advisory Panel on the revision of the DCC to Mr. Yoshimasa Hayashi, Minister for Foreign Affairs. We, as members of civil society, held a press conference at the Japan National Press Club hosted by the NGO-side coordinator of the ODA Policy Council and the NGO-side committee of the Partnership Promotion Committee for the NGO-Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Regular Consultation Meeting. —– Press Release: “Call for a Charter that truly stands for Human Security!” December 9, 2022 -Will the government use development cooperation as a “diplomatic tool” and relax the non-military principle? Civil society blew a whistle on the report…
Call for immediate cessation of armed conflict in Sudan and call for action from the international community
On the morning of Saturday, April 15, armed conflicts broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Sudanese capital Khartoum. More than 400 civilians have been killed and 3,500 wounded in the fighting that has spread across the capital city of Khartoum and other areas. Many civilians, including our Sudanese staff and their families, have been unable to leave their homes or evacuate the area where the fighting is taking place. In addition to blackout and water outage, logistics have been suspended, and food and drinking water supplies have run out. Attacks on hospitals are also rampant, and many hospitals have been…
Appeals regarding the revision of the Development Cooperation Charter (DCC) proposed by 19 NGOs
On September 9, 2022, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) announced the revision of DCC. Even though it is an important document that is the basic principle of the Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA), the government has started the revisioning procedure without enough explanation about why it is necessary to revise it, or how civilian opinion will be broadly reflected in it. Three nongovernmental organizations, Mekong Watch, Friends of the Earth Japan (FoE Japan), and Japan Center for a Sustainable Environment and Society（JACSES）first called for submitting a written request to MOFA to clarify the issues of ODA and points to be reflected in the revision. JVC also agrees to this…
We Call on the Japanese Government to Mediate Negotiation Efforts in Relation to Tensions between the U.S. and Iran
10th January 2020 To: Mr. Toshimitsu MOTEGI (Minister for Foreign Affairs) and Mr. Taro KONO (Minister for Defense) Tensions rose between Iran and the U.S. following a U.S. strike that led to the death of the major general of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on January 3rd, 2020, and as a consequence, the safety of those living in Iran, Iraq, and surrounding areas has been threatened. In the Middle East, repeated wars have created many refugees and displaced persons, and people have been exhausted by a chain of violence. The recent U.S. killings as well as Iranian retaliation have invited further destabilization to the region. The US has been strongly…
We request a ceasefire and realization of peace in Syria on the occasion of concerned military action in the Idlib governorate
Statement by Japanese NGOs 6th September 2018 We are NGOs working in the Middle East including Jordan, Iraq, and Palestine and have been implementing humanitarian aids for the people who are forced to live under difficult situations due to conflicts and civil wars. Having witnessed the serious harm inflicted upon innocent citizens by the military actions of countries such as the United States and Russia, as well as by the government of Syria and other military bodies, we have made statement emphasizing that military reciprocation only hinders peace and resolution. Military tension is highly increasing in the Idlib governorate in the northwestern Syria. Anti-governmental armed bodies, which were defeated in…
We request for extension of ceasefire, cessation of violence and progress on peace process in Afghanistan
22 June 2018 Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR Japan) Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC) Karez Health and Educational Services (KHES) Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) Shanti Volunteer Association (SVA) We are Japanese NGO engaged in the support of Afghanistan together with the people of Afghanistan. Welcoming the first ceasefire between the Government of Afghanistan and the Taliban, and as people were able to feel the hope for peace that the ceasefire brought about, we will continue seeking peace in Afghanistan and we request for the following: About extension of ceasefire We welcome the ceasefire which was realized for the first time between the Government of Afghanistan and the Taliban.…
Statement on the military attack on Syria by the United States, the United Kingdom, and France
16 April 2018 Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC) On the assumption that on 7 April 2018 chemical weapons were used upon innocent civilians in the Eastern Ghouta district of Syria, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France on 14 April 2018 conducted a military attack on the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. We, Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC), have undertaken humanitarian aid in such places as Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, and Palestine to aid local peoples suffering from conflicts. Having witnessed the serious harm inflicted upon innocent citizens by the military actions of countries such as the United States and Russia, as well as by the government of Syria…