Striving toward creating a nation in an exciting way

Transcript from a talk (Translated from Japanese)

Striving toward creating a nation in an exciting way—
Let us raise an ideal for Japan together

Modern-day Japan is facing a serious dead end in areas such as politics, the economy, education and social welfare. Further, globally, due to factors such as environmental destruction and wars, our human society is facing history’s worst crisis. In order to overcome this crisis from the root level, we need to create a completely different flow from the ones of the past. I feel that the key is in the present Constitution of Japan.

Including Japan, the main cause or culprit of this worst dead end of human society is conflicts of national egoism that says, “As long as it is in my country’s best interests.” These conflicts of national egoism cause wars, promote development of science and technology, promote competition among businesses, and create problems such as with the environment, poverty, and famine.

According to the Preamble of the present Constitution of Japan, Japan will make all out efforts to contribute to solving the many serious problems of the world by peaceful means. It proclaims strongly that this is how the country will secure its survival. This means Japan renounces national egoism by its own will unilaterally. In addition, Article 9 calls for renouncing all types of war including war for self-defense and abolishment of military.

I published the book, “Kuni no Riso to Kenpo” (“A Country’s Ideal and the Constitution”, original in Japanese and published in English as “Beyond National Egoism—The Road to an Nation for International Peace and the Environment” last year. In this book, I presented the following proposal:

In the midst of the dead end situation of the world, let us truly revive Japan. Further, in order to take initiative toward overcoming the critical situation of the world from the root level, let us more assertively bring to life the spirit of peace of the present Constitution of Japan, and let us raise a new ideal in Japan, ‘to aspire for a nation for international peace and the environment.’

In recent years, Japan has seen political turmoil and fallen into its worst ever recession. During this time, people have gotten the impression that the issue of revising the constitution has disappeared. However, considering that on May 18, 2010, the National Referendum law will come into force, it can be anticipated that before long, the movement to revise the constitution will become very active again. Now, especially since we are in this kind of period, we must think about this very seriously.




“Beyond National Egoism—The Road to a Nation for International Peace and the Environment

Shohei Nomura
Mamizu Shuppan Publishing

Contents

I. The Constitutional Debate That Will Determine Japan's Future

Chapter 1 Can We Protect the Peace Without Military Force?
Chapter 2 Arguments for and against Constitutional Revision

II. Know the Present State of the Global Environment and Human Society

Chapter 1 Know the Present State of the Environmental Problems
Chapter 2 Population, Food Supply, Water, Energy, and Nuclear Power Problems
Chapter 3 Considering Conflicts and Wars of the 21st Century

III. How Can We Overcome This Crisis?

Chapter 1 What Is the Fundamental Cause of the Crisis Situation?
Chapter 2 Considering the Future of This Nation
Chapter 3 Overcoming National Egoism

Proposal for the Japanese People
─Everyone, Let Us Raise an Ideal for the Nation
─Now, What Should I Do?
Proposal─For the People All Over the World

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