Media Release from BurmaInfo (Japan) : For immediate release June 18, 2009
Former Japanese Prime Minister Calls for the Release of Aung San Suu Kyi
Solidarity Messages Pour in from Members of Parliament and Musicians
BurmaInfo warmly welcomes a strong statement from Tsutomu Hata, former Prime Minister of Japan, calling for the release of Burma’s democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. “I strongly protest the extended detention of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,” Hata stated. Hata’s message, submitted in Japanese to the “64ForSuu” campaign website (64ForSuu.org), comes amid dozens of similar messages from other Japanese politicians from all the major parties, as well as from prominent musicians and writers (see list below).
Such a show of solidarity is in stark contrast with the posture of the Japanese government, which has released only mild statements of concern since Aung San Suu Kyi was charged in May and asserts that Suu Kyi’s trial is a “domestic judicial issue.”
“I’m encouraged by all the strong demonstrations of solidarity,” said Yuki Akimoto, Director of BurmaInfo Japan. “I want the international community to know that the Japanese government’s policy does not reflect the view of the public and many MPs.”
For more information, contact: Yuki Akimoto (Mobile: +81-80-2006-0165, yuki@burmainfo.org)
List of selected “64 For Suu” messages from Japan
*Messages are in Japanese unless otherwise noted. [ ] indicates format of the message.
<MPs>
Tsutomu Hata, MP, Former Prime Minister of Japan [text]
http://www.64forsuu.org/word.
Yukio Hatoyama, MP, President of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) [text]
http://www.64forsuu.org/word.
Mizuho Fukushima, leader of the Social Democratic Party [video, English]
http://www.64forsuu.org/word.
Masaharu Nakagawa, MP (House of Councillors, LDP) [text]
http://www.64forsuu.org/word.
Ryuhei Kawada, MP (House of Councillors, independent) [video]
http://www.64forsuu.org/word.
Azuma Konno, MP (House of Councillors, DPJ) [video, partly in English]
http://www.64forsuu.org/word.
Yoshinori Suematsu, MP (House of Representatives, DPJ) [video, English]
http://www.64forsuu.org/word.
Tsurunen Marutei, MP (House of Councillors, DPJ, born in Finland, naturalized Japanese) [text]
http://www.64forsuu.org/word.
Kiyomi Tsujimoto, MP (House of Representatives, Social Democratic Party)[text]
http://www.64forsuu.org/word.
Tetsuji Nakamura, MP (House of Councillors, DPJ) [video]
http://www.64forsuu.org/word.
Masayoshi Nataniya, MP (House of Councillors, DPJ) [text]
http://www.64forsuu.org/word.
Masaharu Nakagawa, MP (House of Representatives, DPJ) [text]
http://www.64forsuu.org/word.
Tomoko Abe, MP (House of Representatives, Social Democratic Party) [text]
http://www.64forsuu.org/word.
<Musicians and writers>
Sunplaza Nakano Kun, rock singer [video]
http://www.64forsuu.org/word.
Seiko Ito, writer [text]
http://www.64forsuu.org/word.
Tomoe Sawa, singer and songwriter [video, English]
http://www.64forsuu.org/word.
<Unions and civil society organizations>
Nobuaki Koga, General Secretary, JTUC-RENGO [text]
http://www.64forsuu.org/word.
BurmaInfo [video]
http://www.64forsuu.org/word.
Shogo Watanabe, Secretary General of the People’s Forum on Burma [text]
http://www.64forsuu.org/word.