Message from Former Prime Ministers of Japan
Message from Former Prime Ministers of Japan
Creation of a UN Standing Force
It has already been one year and three months since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, the situation has been drawn out with no end in sight, and there are concerns that it may escalate further.
What is needed now is an immediate ceasefire to save the lives of numerous innocent civilians, Ukrainian soldiers, and Russian soldiers.
The G7 Summit is currently being held in Hiroshima, Japan. Acting in cooperation, the summit leaders are trying to increase military support for Ukraine and pressure on Russia through economic sanctions. Rather than mediating between the two countries and moving toward ceasefire talks, the G7 nations, including Japan, are also fully backing one of the warring parties.
On the other hand, China and Russia have agreed to increase cooperation in military exercises and are strengthening their ties, while the possibility of arms transfers from China to Russia have been implicated.
This will only deepen division and confrontation, and if the condition of the war deteriorates further, it could lead to a war in Europe, with Russia and NATO directly confronting each other.
What should be done to maintain world peace, a long-sought desire of mankind? The wisdom of humanity is being put to the test.
Two former Liberal Democratic Party prime ministers, those who should be regarded as wise leaders of Japan, called for the very same thing: Ishibashi Tanzan and Miyazawa Kiichi.
After retiring from politics, Tanzan stated in his 1968 book “The Defense of Japan” that, “There is no other way to promote the idea of a world federation that will protect world peace than by strengthening the United Nations, creating an international police force, and encouraging everyone to align themselves with that purpose.”
Six months before becoming prime minister in 1991, Miyazawa wrote in a monthly magazine, “A permanent UN force should be created and deployed under UN command to restore world order and peace in response to such situations as the invasion of Kuwait by Iraqi forces. And I believe that Japan, with its Peace Constitution, should lead the nations as a driving force behind such a motion.”
I believe that now is the time to establish a collective security system by international institutions, replacing the right of collective self-defense.
The creation of a UN Standing Force cannot be realized as proposed by the former prime ministers if even one of the permanent members of the UN Security Council opposes it. The Security Council also fell into dysfunction over the Ukraine issue. As long as the sole veto system exists, the UN will be semi-permanently incapable of making fundamental reforms.
Therefore, a new United Nations should be created one inch away from the existing UN by countries that support the creation of a permanent force. In other words, they should withdraw from the UN and join the new UN.
The new UN will (1) abolish the “enemy nation” clause, (2) establish the permanent members of the UN Security Council as the existing five nations plus India, Brazil, Germany, South Africa, and Japan, which takes into account population, gross domestic product, and UN contributions, to be reviewed every ten years, (3) will not allow permanent members of the Council to veto a proposal alone, but require two or more countries to exercise the veto jointly, (4) allow resolution if more than 80% of the countries agree to the proposal at the General Assembly, and (5) elect the Secretary-General by the non-permanent members of the Council, with other UN organizations and agencies to succeed their roles.
While the creation of a UN Standing Force would not resolve all international disputes, it is not difficult to imagine that it would significantly reduce them.
Take, for example, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. If soldiers from India and Turkey, countries that have good relations with Russia, were to join a permanent force consisting of third-party countries, it would be possible not only to build a peace barrier that would be difficult for Russia to touch, but also to encourage dialogue toward ceasefire and peace.
What is the mission of politics? It is not just to protect a country and maintain public order. It is to guarantee a humane way of life for all people. Politics exists to bring happiness to as many people as possible.
The world is suffering not only from conflicts and wars, but also from environmental problems such as global warming, hunger, poverty, pandemics, and other food and energy issues common to all mankind. We must work together as one to confront the crises of humanity.
I sincerely hope you will consider my plan as one of the proposals, and that the United Nations will become an even better international organization and develop into a world federation like the European Union in the near future.
Party of Peace Leader
Chiba Prefectural Assembly Member Nishio Kenichi
