Founded in 1921, WILPF Japan is one of our oldest and most active Sections!  

As the Section marks more than a century of feminist peace activism, we sat down with WILPF Japan’s Board members to learn about the Section’s key priorities in 2024 and the state of peace in Japan and around the world today.  

We spoke with Dr. Yoshiko Kubo, President, WILPF Japan, and Vice-Presidents Yoko Matsukuma, Masako Takasaki and Michiko Ushiyama.  

Tell us about WILPF Japan today.  

Dr. Yoshiko Kubo: WILPF Japan currently has 147 members and a Board of 20 members who gather monthly to discuss different social issues and challenges and how WILPF Japan can contribute to peace. We also have four local chapters working on their own specific issues and actions.  

As we mark our 100-year anniversary this year, we are looking ahead to the next 100 years and the key issues we need to focus on to help advance a future of peace. These include preserving the Japanese Constitution, denuclearisation and demilitarisation, the status of women and climate change, among others.  

Can you tell us about some of the current issues you’re addressing?  

Dr. Yoshiko Kubo: We are addressing many large issues, so we regularly work in collaboration with other organisations and groups. For example, right now we are working with a coalition of 33 women’s organisations here in Japan to advocate for the preservation of the Japanese Constitution. We are issuing joint statements on how we can move toward peace instead of war, strengthen diplomacy and realise gender equality in Japan.  

Our main focus at the moment is ongoing activism related to the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 and the government’s recent decision to start releasing wastewater from the nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean.  

To engage the public in our activities and raise awareness of key issues, we hold many lectures, film screenings, concerts and other events where WILPF Japan members and supporters can gather and learn together. We also collect donations at these events, which are used to support various international aid initiatives, such as through the UNHCR or the UN World Food Programme.  

What are some of the specific actions you’re taking in relation to Fukushima?  

Masako Takasaki: Last year, the Japanese government announced its decision to start releasing wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean. This wastewater had accumulated at Fukushima following the disaster in 2011, when the plant was severely damaged due to a tsunami.  

In July 2023, WILPF Japan issued a joint statement opposing this decision together with other WILPF Sections in the Asia-Pacific region and peace and anti-nuclear organisations. It was sent to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Prime Minister of Japan and TEPCO, the electric power company in charge of the release.  

Unfortunately, in August last year, the government moved ahead with its plan and began releasing what experts warn could be contaminated water into the ocean. This could continue for years to come and as such our campaign and advocacy efforts are not over.  

We are continuing to work in collaboration with eight other human rights organisations to demand a reversal of this decision and put an immediate stop to the release of the wastewater. In January of this year, we had an opportunity to visit Japan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs to present our concerns. The government’s response was not what we hoped for, but we will continue to raise our voices as strongly as possible.    

We understand you have made documentaries about Fukushima. What are they about and where can people access them?  

Masako Takasaki: WILPF Japan has now created two documentaries about Fukushima. The first one was made in 2019, when we went to different areas impacted by the 2011 disaster to learn about the challenges people there continued to face. We created an English version of that documentary and screened it at WILPF’s International Congress in 2022. The Japanese version and English version are both available on YouTube.  

In 2023, we held our second Fukushima fieldwork program to find out how people and communities are getting on four years after our first documentary, and whether any new changes or developments had taken place. From this fieldwork visit, we created a second documentary that is now available on YouTube (subtitles are available in different languages).  

What we found is that no improvement had been made in the four years since we last visited the communities impacted by the disaster. For example, there were no changes in the levels of radiation monitored in those areas.  

We have now held screenings of this documentary in several locations outside of Fukushima, and people have told us they had no idea about these ongoing impacts. Our goal is to continue raising awareness and advocating for improvements.  

Recently, you shared that WILPF Japan is concerned that the idea of pacifism is collapsing. Can you tell us more about what you mean by that?  

Michiko Ushiyama: Many people in Japan believe that Japan is a country that will not go to war or take part in a war. This is based on Japan’s experiences during the Second World War as well as the inclusion of the Peace Clause in Japan’s Constitution. Known as Article 9, it states: “Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as a means of settling international disputes.”  

However, when we look at the policies of the current administration under Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, we see that there is a shift in this direction — one that is making it possible for Japan to once again participate in wars.  

We see, for example, Japan’s purchase of Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles from the United States. Japan is also putting significant amounts of funding into the construction of a new US military base in Okinawa.  

We are concerned that as we approach 80 years since the end of the Second World War, Japan’s long-held pride in Article 9 is becoming weaker. This reflects what we’re seeing around the world, with increasing military expenses and growing disparities between people and countries.  

To address these issues, we are advocating for Japan to reconfirm the meaning and significance of Article 9 and to take action to ensure its preservation.  

What does peace mean to you?  

Yoko Matsukuma: Many people think that peace simply means “stop war.” But peace isn’t only about war. In Japan, there are many people who don’t have enough to eat every day, people who struggle financially and can’t even go to school. It might not be possible for us to resolve all of these issues, but achieving peace means addressing all of these areas of our lives and societies that are out of balance.   

Dr. Yoshiko Kubo: Earlier we spoke about Article 9, the famous Peace Clause of Japan’s Constitution. But there is also Article 25, which says that all people shall have the right to maintain the minimum standards of wholesome and cultured living.  

If all people on the globe today could live in this way, we could say the world is in a peaceful situation. Unfortunately, this is extremely difficult, especially as we continue to feel the impacts of climate change. We believe this common challenge could serve as an opportunity for people around the world to rally around a shared struggle and achieve a better future.  

Thank you to the Board members of WILPF Japan! For more information about WILPF Japan, please visit their dedicated webpage and their YouTube channel.