Kunio Suzuki
Kunio Suzuki was born in 1943 in Fukushima Prefecture, and is a political critic and founder of the neo-right wing organization, Issuikai (First Wednesday Group). While studying at Waseda University, he was a leader of a right-wing student organization. In the spring of 1970, he dropped out of the doctoral program of the School of Political Science and Economics at Waseda University and joined the newspaper company, Sankei Shimbun Co. Ltd. In 1972, he founded Issuikai, a nationalist organization, and became representative of the organization.
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| Yukio Mishima Speaking at Japanese Self Defense Force Base | Masakatsu Morita, a person assisting Mishima's hara-kiri |
For a while, he was not involved in political activities, but his shock from the suicide committed by Masakatsu Morita, whom he met while studying at college, along with Yukio Mishima in November 1970 motivated him to form Issuikai in 1972 and left Sankei Shimbun in 1973. From then on, he has directed Issuikai as a representative from a standpoint of freedom of speech. He stressed the breaking away from mere anti-communist right-wingers and was called a "right-winger who speaks out" because he was critical of the right-wing theory which argues that "us not having a place to speak out is terrorism in itself" and held up his view of "three non-violence rules" which states that no illegal terrorist or guerilla activities be carried out, that coercion be discouraged, and persistent assertion of onefs opinion using the background of the organizationfs authority be discouraged. Upon seeing the collapse of Communist countries such as the former Soviet Union and Eastern European countries, he declared that the anti-communist right-wing movement is over and that nationalism should return to voluntary activities based on peaceful love of the homeland. He can be said to be a person who can influence the future of the path of nationalism. He has written many books such as gNeo-Right-Wing: The History and the Present State of Nationalismh (Sairyusha) and gCan Patriots be Trusted?h (Kodansha Gendai Shinshoh and has lectured at Keio University as well as at many other venues.
Excerpt from: gCan Patriots be Trusted?h
gI can assert that I am the ultimate nationalist of all in Japan. Ifve sung gKimigayo (Japanese national anthem)h more than 5000 times and flew the gHinomaru (Japanese national flag)h more than 500 times. Ifve worshipped at Yasukuni Shrine more than 500 times, gotten arrested for complaining to the Defense Agency upon hearing about how a stripper was hired at the Self Defense Force base festival, and also gotten arrested for getting into scuffles with the riot police after complaining about the construction of the Japanese Russian Friendship Hall in Kushiro.
c
But times have changed nowadays. The social conditions and consciousness of the people have changed. The Soviet Union collapsed, Eastern Europe is gone and the leftists have disappeared from Japan. Just then at that moment, there has been increase in a number of hastily formed right-wing group, neo-conservatives and insignificant nationalists. The atmosphere is that the government and Education and Technology Ministry have been coercing the raising of the gHinomaruh and singing of gKimigayoh and is willing to revise the Constitution. Even a proud nationalist like me is baffled about this whole thing.
c
Patriotism should be kept in each and everyonefs heart. It becomes a lie if such feelings are spoken out. It also becomes a tool for criticizing others and can easily become a weapon. Therefore, it would be best kept secret in their heart or if there is a strong urge to speak out about your feeling, it is better to speak it softly.h?
(Translated by Harutaka Oribe)
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