Mion🇯🇵

Today, September 21, is the International Day of Peace, established by the United Nations. It is a day created in the hope that, even if only for these 24 hours, the world would lay down its weapons and stop fighting. Yet in 2026, we may be facing a reality that is the complete opposite of that hope. The United States, Israel, Russia, China, and North Korea—major powers and states pursuing militaristic policies—are attempting to resolve differences in ideology and opinion through force and violence. They continue to justify intimidation, invasion, and the taking of what belongs to others, trampling on the dignity and human rights of people in other nations while innocent civilians continue to lose their lives. Is that not, in itself, a grave crime? I sincerely ask that this way of thinking and acting come to an end as soon as possible. Japan's current government should not simply follow this course and become caught in the endless cycle of hatred and anger. Now, more than ever, Japan must uphold the peace it has maintained since the end of World War II, and protect the Constitution of Japan, which places the highest value on peace and fundamental human rights. There is no doubt that humanity possesses an instinct toward conflict. Anger and hatred have too often driven people to kill one another. The history of civilization is, in many ways, also a history of war. I understand that, at present, maintaining a certain level of defensive capability remains necessary. But rather than surrendering ourselves forever to these destructive instincts, we must rise above our violent nature and our bloodstained history to create a future built on peaceful, cooperative coexistence. We must not allow ourselves to be drawn into the mentality of militaristic nations or aggressive nationalism. We must not allow ourselves to be swept away by it. My mentor, Ryuichi Sakamoto, once said: "War is the result of failed diplomacy." Before governments devote themselves to expanding military capabilities and spending enormous amounts of taxpayers' money on armament, should they not first exhaust every possible diplomatic effort and seek mutual understanding? Isn't that the true responsibility of politics? To neglect that responsibility and instead rush once again toward becoming a military state is to lose sight of what truly matters, and amounts to abandoning the very duty entrusted to political leaders. Our tax money should not be used to strengthen the means of taking human lives. It should be invested in saving and nurturing lives—through welfare, education, healthcare, and other essential public services. It should also be used to support disaster recovery throughout Japan and to assist those affected by natural disasters. We have every right to demand that. if democracy in this country is still functioning. More than ever before, we as citizens must not yield to authority or to the pressure to conform. We must watch those in power, speak out, and insist that our government direct all its efforts toward creating peace rather than relying on violence. We must protect Article 9 of the Constitution, and never allow the Preamble—which upholds the three fundamental principles of popular sovereignty, respect for fundamental human rights, and pacifism—to be discarded. In 2026, now more than ever, we must choose not to surrender to our violent instincts, but to calm our minds, regain our humanity, create peace, respond to aggression with ethics and composure, and cultivate a society grounded in compassion and harmony. Japan must never be drawn into war. 2026.9.21 SGZ