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from Japan Today Tuesday, March 18, 2003 http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&id=253146 Japanese slam U.S. arrogance, wary of war's economic impact TOKYO - Many Japanese expressed concern about the economic impact of a U.S.-led war on Iraq Tuesday, while others criticized Washington for ditching the United Nations as war loomed larger following the U.S. ultimatum for Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to go into exile or face a war. "I had wanted the United States to wait for a conclusion from the United Nations," said Junichi Aida, a 50-year-old company employee in Sapporo, referring to the withdrawal Monday by the U.S., Britain and Spain of a resolution at the U.N. Security Council on Iraq. The Japan Council against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs (Gensuikyo) said it delivered a statement Tuesday to U.S. President George Bush and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, saying U.S. use of force would violate the U.N. Charter and that Koizumi's support for Washington treads on Japan's pacifist Constitution. Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba concurred with the council, saying at a news conference, "I simply cannot tolerate the U.S behavior of trampling the spirit of the United Nations Charter." He said the U.S. action will lead to a new cycle of hatred, violence and revenge and urged the U.S. to withdraw its decision to use military force. Elsewhere in the city, some 90 members of about 15 peace groups took part in a demonstration around noon calling for a peaceful resolution to the Iraq crisis with continued weapons inspections. Nagasaki Mayor Itcho Ito issued a statement describing the situation as extremely regrettable and said he wants the Japanese government to work toward a peaceful resolution until the end. Hiroshima and Nagasaki were devastated by U.S. atomic bombs in the closing days of World War II. Manufacturers worried that a war could negatively affect their operations through, for instance, more expensive oil and imported raw materials. "If import prices for materials increase due to soaring oil prices, it will hit our business directly," said a 58-year-old owner of a manufacturing company for automobile parts in Higashi-Osaka in Osaka Prefecture. The city hosts some 8,000 small manufacturers. "With the recession, there is not much business," said Ken Nakamura, 52, owner of an eatery near a U.S. military base in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. "If the Japanese government supports the U.S., I want it to explain the reasons to the people." Yokosuka is the home port of U.S. aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk, which has been deployed to the Middle East in preparation for possible military action. A tourism industry official in Okinawa, Japan's southernmost prefecture which hosts the bulk of U.S. military forces in the country, expressed concern there could be a fall-off in visitors as occurred after the Sept. 11 attacks in the U.S. in 2001. Four junior high and high schools from outside the prefecture have already canceled planned excursions to Okinawa. Okinawa Gov Keiichi Inamine, describing the U.S. declaration as extremely regrettable, said he will make efforts to minimize the impact on tourism in the prefecture. Some 250,000 tourists canceled their trips to Okinawa after the 2001 attacks. Protests took place in various places in Japan against a U.S.-led attack on Iraq. In Tokyo, Masayoshi Kasai, a 58-year-old pastor from Shinjuku Ward, protested outside the U.S. Embassy at 4 a.m. holding a life-size wooden crucifix. "To solve problems with force is downright foolish," he said. Groups of other protesters also gathered outside the embassy in Minato Ward with placards in protest against the war as police squads and security vehicles surrounded the facility with tight security. In the city of Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture, about 50 people, including members of labor unions and citizens groups, held a demonstration in a shopping district. On Monday night in Washington, Bush gave Saddam 48 hours to go into exile or face a U.S.-led military attack. Saddam has vowed not to leave. Koizumi said Tuesday that his government supports the use of force by Washington. (Kyodo News) __________________________ http://www.japantoday.com/ ===== LMNOP http://lmno4p.org "No War for Oil!" __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop! http://platinum.yahoo.com --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bdn7KI.YXJjaGl2 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. FREE! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/create/index2.html ==^================================================================
