Yoshi Kuzume, promoting peace one T-shirt at a time

 

Professor Yoshi Kuzume of Seinan Gakuin University in Fukuoka, Japan, is a passionate believer in the effect of Article 9 on Japan and potentially the world. Since 2004, when she joined the Article 9 Association founded by Nobel laureate Kenzaburo Oe, Yoshi has arranged giveaways of colourful T-shirts printed with the text of Article 9 in both Japanese and English.

Kenzaburo Oe founded the association because of efforts by right-wing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to revise the constitution and nullify Article 9's prohibition of aggressive military presence and war as a solution to international problems. Abe has already proven partly successful by his securing of Japan's involvement in the Iraq War by providing logistical support. Indeed, considerable pressure is being exerted by conservative nationalists in Japan to not only gut Article 9, but revise the contents of elementary and secondary school text books. Accounts of the Second World War in the books feature downplaying or ignoring the Empire's belligerence and atrocities, edging close to whitewashing Japan's aggression, according to several reports by concerned citizens and groups.  

To Yoshi and the Association, Article 9's statements have never been more important.

Her modus operandi is worthy of note. While she orders the shirts and gives them away personally where possible (pre-COVID), she has created a system of contacts and sponsors among Association members. When we ordered 2 shirts (without charge, I might add), Yoshi communicated with the Association members to find two people who would sponsor the shirts. Having found them, Yoshi arranged not only the shirts but response cards in English and Japanese:

The above is a sample. We are to return the cards to Yoshi, who will see to their distribution to the sponsors. 

We have found that the shirts arouse curiosity in people who see them, and create an opportunity to for us speak about Article 9. At least one who saw the shirts is communicating with Yoshi directly to order one for his grand daughter.  

As of this writing, Yoshi has distributed thousands of these T shirts, and will continue to fill orders for them, as supplies last. Here is her e-mail:

sowsan.project@gmail.com