WBW Japan Chapter members joined a Cross-Country Peace March, urging Japan to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear...
Asia, a whole continent filled with steaming hot, flavorful food and a history of a peaceful way of life.
Culturally, Asians are bonded by our love for food. It is well-known that every great decision, every memorable situation happens in front of the dining table. Asian civil society organizations always want to gather physically to talk about important matters that affect our daily lives.
Historically, peaceful coexistence was a way of life in many Asian countries. Take, for example, the Galleon trade of Asian countries to the rest of the world. Or the creation of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence in the 1950s, expanded during the Bandung Conference, which included African nations.
PEACE, in the history of the region, is not just a word BUT a way of life. Long before colonizations and the rise of authoritarian governments, Asian people had established mechanisms and systems to coexist in harmony.
With the recent turn of events – democracy concerns amidst the rise of authoritarian governments, human rights violations, increasing militarization in communities, and territorial disputes – Asia needs to learn from its history and advance advocacy work in establishing a peace system.
Situations in different countries on the continent show how militarism and authoritarianism have become the norm for different governments.
Japan’s Article 9 of the constitution is supposed to ensure peace. However, different administrations have repeatedly tried to reverse the article. The government has also entered into different military agreements with other nations like the Philippines, the U.S., Australia, U.K., Italy, and even Indonesia. Japan is actively engaged in military exercises, particularly, the Balikatan exercises of the Philippines with other nations’ militaries, mainly the U.S., conducted in the South China Sea. Japan is also host to the highest number of U.S. military bases in Asia and the world as of 2026, with around 120+ active sites.
In Myanmar, a series of coups d’état have displaced citizens, especially Indigenous groups like the Rohingya people. Communities have long suffered from human rights violations, forced conscription, brutal violence, and economic instability.
The territorial dispute between Thailand and Cambodia has divided citizens of both countries. This historical dispute is still not resolved to this day and has resulted in deaths and the displacement of many people from both sides.
The Philippines hosts the second-highest number of U.S. military bases in Asia. With its Mutual Defense Treaty dating back to 1951, the country has strengthened its unequal relationship with the U.S. To date, the Philippines has entered into other security agreements with the U.S. The Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) ensures that U.S. military forces are protected in any event of violations committed inside the Philippines; it is also the backbone of the continuing Balikatan exercises that also involve other nations recently. The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) was signed to bolster the alliance between the two countries. EDCA allowed U.S. troops to rotate and extend their stay in the country, and while permanent bases are no longer allowed, the U.S. was allowed to build and operate facilities. In the expanded EDCA, the two countries have agreed to expand EDCA sites allowing U.S. troops to operate facilities even in local Philippine bases. Human rights violations have also been witnessed as a result of continuing U.S. military presence in the country, with cases of rape, murder, and the displacement of communities.
Taiwan also has its fair share of getting caught in the middle of the U.S.-China rivalry. China continues to claim Taiwan as a territory and the intent to use it if and when its rivalry with the U.S. escalates. The U.S.’s one-China policy states that it does not recognize Taiwan’s independence yet under the Taiwan Relations Act, the U.S. sends weapons to Taiwan and has encircled China with U.S. military bases.
The U.S.-China rivalry has long been a source of insecurity for many nations surrounding China. Governments have been divided in their stances, but continue to play the game of the two bigger countries.
Situations on the continent have put lives and livelihoods in peril. Communities are caught in the crosshairs of a military build-up across the region, from military bases dotting the landscape to war games in the Pacific.
Our HOPE is to create more paths to a world with peace, human rights, and democracy at its core. Governments adhering to a peace system rather than a militaristic one, upholding human rights and genuine democracy.
OUR CALLS
We call for the end of U.S.-China rivalry, and for nations to declare neutrality.
We call for genuine democracy to ensure that people’s voices are heard and that agreements between nations are equal.
We call on governments to uphold, respect, and protect the human rights of the people.
World BEYOND War is expanding our peace work in Asia.
Currently, our chapter in Japan is continuing its campaigns for peace and engaging in solidarity work. Doing peaceful protests and gatherings that educate people, especially the young generation, on what it means to establish a peace system as an alternative to the many governments’ militaristic approach.
We also contribute to the creation of additional platforms for peace and human rights advocates to discuss country contexts and situations, leading to collaborations among peacebuilders in campaigning on a regional level.
You can start by signing our Declaration for Peace.
Finding intersections and common advocacy in the region. Join our campaigns, start a chapter, or affiliate an existing organization.
You can read here articles, news, and other materials from our work in the region. For more write-ups and updates, click here.
WBW Japan Chapter members joined a Cross-Country Peace March, urging Japan to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear...
Topics covered include: Resisting RIMPAC 26 – No to NATO in the Pacific, and Towards a Sustainable Nuclear-Free Pacific. #WorldBEYONDWar
The No Nukes Asia Forum (NNAF) 2026 was held in the Philippines from June 17-21, 2026 — the 33rd year...
On Saturday, May 16, members of the Japan chapter of World BEYOND War participated in two Nakba Day events in...
On Saturday, April 18, members of the Japan chapter of World BEYOND War participated in a 5k peace walk for...
This “pen light” peace movement in Japan could soon rival the peace movement of the 1960s, in terms of significance....
