Voices of Support For Professor Masaki Shimoji During His Detention

Professor Masaki Shimoji said that voices of support, including the signature campaign, for his release were critical in him getting released without indictment.

These are the websites that featured the FukushimaVoice articles in regards to his detention.

http://enenews.com/crackdown-japanese-professors-arrest-extremely-unjust-publicly-oppossed-burning-radiaoctive-debris


http://nuclear-news.net/2012/12/15/crackdown-japanese-professors-arrest-extremely-unjust-publicly-opposed-burning-of-radioactive-debris/

http://lucian.uchicago.edu/blogs/atomicage/2012/12/15/unjust-arrest-of-a-professor-opposing-debris-incineration-in-osaka-%E4%B8%8B%E5%9C%B0%E7%9C%9F%E6%A8%B9%E4%B8%8D%E6%B3%95%E9%80%AE%E6%8D%95via-fukushima-voice/

http://majiasblog.blogspot.com/2012/12/demand-for-immediate-and-unconditional.html

http://www.save-children-from-radiation.org/

http://www.afaz.at/index_long.html#jump13

http://ameblo.jp/ryuujin55/entry-11427330804.html

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These are the statements sent in from individuals in support of Professor Shimoji’s release.


December 14, 2012

Professor Shimoji is a brave and moral man who is worried about his students and future generations. It is imperative that he be supported in his quest to halt incineration of radioactive waste in Osaka and elsewhere in Japan as this will add to the misery, sickness and deaths that will be the Fukushima legacy.

Helen Caldicott

下地教授は、学生や次世代の人々を気遣う、勇敢で道徳心のある人物です。大阪あるいは日本のその他の地域において、苦しみ、病、死といった福島の遺産を増やすことからも、下地教授の追求する放射能汚染瓦礫焼却停止を、私達がサポートすることは必須です。

ヘレン・カルディコット

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December 17, 2012

Incarceration and incineration - Not good solutions
Gary Headrick

Those of us living alongside the defective San Onofre nuclear reactors, like others in similar situations around the globe empathize with the people of Japan who are having to live through what is our own worst nightmare. They have been exposed to uncertain amounts of radiation since 3/11/11 and wait helplessly for real solutions to this on-going situation. During that time real concerns about radiation exposure from the contaminated environment haunt them every day. The threat continues to grow with the expectation of another large earthquake capable of toppling Unit 4 and creating a much worse situation. We are deeply disappointed and concerned that Japan would consider incineration as a possible solution to the problem when it will actually make things far worse in Japan and around the world. Equally bad is the policy to arrest those who are brave enough to question the risks involved in such an extremely reckless policy.

The rest of the world watches to see what example the Japanese people will provide in dealing with such disasters. While some slow progress is being made in the government and the nuclear industry accepting responsibility for causing the disaster, much more important progress must be made in the way these immense problems are resolved. We stand firmly with those who oppose nuclear power and who call for responsible leadership in this crisis. Please halt any more experimental incineration of radioactive waste and unjustified arrests of those who have reasonable concerns and want to find viable solutions.

It is true that we have our own weaknesses and reckless behavior with the nuclear industry in the United States, so our message is not meant to be judgmental. It is with compassion and concern as citizens of this planet that we help each other through these difficult times. Please recognize that the path you are on should be reversed and listen to your people instead of trying to hide the harmful truth from them and all of us. Together we can work towards real solutions and reinvent the broken political systems that allowed this avoidable disaster to happen in the first place. We can all do better, but the world is counting on Japan to do the right thing at this critical moment in history. Our future is tied to yours and we will continue to support the people of Japan who seek reasonable solutions to a complex and dangerous situation with our help, hope and compassion.

Gary Headrick
Co-founder of San Clemente Green (a group of more than 2000 concerned citizens)
http://www.sanclementegreen.org/

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December 18, 2012

Hi

My name is Brett Burnard Stokes and I live in South Australia where some of the Fukushima fuel uranium was mined.

I am a scientist and a graduate of Adelaide University, where Nuclear Advocacy Fraud is ongoing, with the University telling lies to promote uranium mining and nuclear energy and to provide alibis for those who make immoral decisions to mine and export uranium.

I write now in support of freeing Professor Shimoji, a man who has spoken out against the lies that are used as alibis to authorise the sacrifice of our children's lives.

One of those lies is that "dilution is the solution to pollution" which is totally not applicable to the well known dangers posed by radioactive poisons ingested into the bodies of mothers and children.

The incineration of radioactive waste is a crime against humanity.

The incineration of radioactive waste is a crime against the children of Japan.

Best wishes

from
Brett Stokes
Adelaide Applied Algebra

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December 18, 2012

I support freeing Professor Shimoji.

下地教授の解放を強く希望します。

Chiharu Takeda
Australia

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December 26, 2012
My name is Aiko/Kazuko Kurosaki, I live in Austria since my childhood but originally I was born in Japan. I am an artist working in the field of dance, performance and choreographie. Since the nuclear disaster in fukushima happened I’ve done several works referring to that catastrophe - the biggest one was last August organising a dying-flashmob/performance inside the Vienna International Center (UNO-City) in front of the IAEA during the <genbaku no hi> ceremony as a silent protest against the reopening of the nuclear power plants in Japan and the abuse of nuclear power in general.

I´m shocked and very worried that in such democratic and highly developed country like Japan people like Mr. Shimoji can get arrested by the police. I thought in Japan there is freedom of opinion and freedom of speech.

Therefore I want to support the movement of freeing Mr. Shimoji.

Sincerely,

Aiko/Kazuko Kurosaki (Aiko is my artistic name)

Kazuko Kurosaki
Austria

Last Letters from Jail: Professor Masaki Shimoji Now Released

Professor Masaki Shimoji and one of his fellow protesters were released from jail on December 28.  However, another protester remained in detention and was indicted on a charge of forcible obstruction of business.
Professor Shimoji’s last letters written in jail depict critical issues permeating through the corrupt criminal justice system in Japan.  His concern for the future of young people, including young police officers in Japan should not be taken lightly.
Now out of jail, Professor Shimoji is back in full swing trying to stop the disaster debris incineration in Osaka and to free his fellow protesters from jail.

For the circumstances regarding unjust arrest of Professor Masaki Shimoji who was jailed on December 9th for opposing the debris incineration in Osaka, please refer to the following link:
http://fukushimavoice-eng.blogspot.com/2012/12/unjust-arrest-of-professor-opposing.html

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Written opinion for the December 18th court hearing for indication of the reasons for detention by Masaki Shimoji

In court, I explained in detail what I remember.  As a result, even in the midst of confusion of factual relationships, “Request for Detention” was turned down once.  I thought it was a matter of course since the alleged facts of crime in the arrest warrant were nonsense to begin with.  However, somehow, after a long wait, a decision was made for detention again.  Moreover, the reason for the decision was total nonsense not based on any objective evidence.  I wonder what happened to independence of justice.

This morning there was an investigation by the public prosecutor, but even the prosecutor said the alleged facts of crime included only a few statements regarding my conduct.

The reason for my detention is supposedly the “fear of destruction of proof of crime.”  In other words, they seem to think I would conspire with interested parties to try to destroy evidence.  However, I told the judge everything at a private pre-hearing session.  Why do I need to conspire with others at this time?

Rather, isn’t it the police and the security company, which provides posts to many former police officers under the “amakudari” arrangement, that are actually conspiring?  If they think there is no such possibility, what are the grounds for it?  It is not a simple matter of what the actual witnesses did in their former jobs.   As they are in the closely related trade, such background should be taken into consideration.  Isn’t it true?

During civic movements I have been involved with, I have often protested against unfair interference by police with activities of expression on streets.  They say “permission is necessary” even for things that don’t require permission.  If we raise an objection saying “It’s not true” and question them, they often withdraw dejectedly.  Of course they never apologize, and they tell the same lie on another day.  There is no improvement at all.  That is why I have patiently repeated protests in order to show and tell as many people as possible how unfair their action is.  As a result, I think more people have become aware of, protesting unfair police action.

Unfair police action is not limited to interference with expression on streets, but that is the matter I have raised with perseverance.  I have done so hoping to improve the world.  Then police began to call me by my name or job title.  Their intention was to threaten me.  If police officers call me by name, I would ask to see their police identification cards, but they rarely agree.  Isn’t this a breach of the rules?  More than anything, I feel bad for young police officers who are given such senseless work.  I feel bad all the more so because they include students I have taught.

It is a matter of fact that the October 5th arrest of Mr. A at the protest rally in front of KEPCO was unjust for the following reasons: There were more police officers present that day than ever; and the videotape captured the fall that was the basis of the allegation.

Osaka Prefectural Police have known me for a long time.  Was I an eyesore to them because I would point out and object unfair police actions?  Instead of inspecting how their work should be so that they could improve what could be improved, they, in resentment, exercise their power of authority to incriminate me.  Isn’t this suitable for the crime of Abuse of Authority by Special Public Officials?  This is nothing more than a children’s fight.

The public prosecutors which should be admonishing reckless police side with them.  Court which should check and prevent such unjust action easily sanction it.  What has happened to criminal justice in this country?

The public prosecutor talked as if keeping silent will increase the need for detention.  However, precisely because police might abuse power of authority for private reasons, the right to keep silent is an important right.

Both arrests and detention are significant restrictions of human rights.  I ask the court to strictly demand objective facts.

Of late, individuals who have severely protested unfair interference and unfair action by the Osaka Prefectural Police have been arrested and indicted one after another.  This is an unusual situation reminiscent of the Special Higher Police before World War II.  I would like to remind people that the court is under a significant responsibility of either inviting or stopping the repeat of the dark ages of criminal justice.

This is not a minor case at all.  Court needs to remain vigilant in upholding legitimate law.

December 18, 2012
Masaki Shimoji

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
Original Japanese version can be found in the following link:
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/garekitaiho1113/e/53b68149a11ef509210efa789aa31ade


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Letter written on December 19, 2012

During my meeting with the public prosecutor, I told him several reasons why none of the alleged facts of crime in the arrest warrant were true at all.  He said something like, “Why don’t you just tell me everything honestly?  If you remain silent, we can’t help but detain you.”  However, this is insane.

The police organization has absolute powers of authority in deciding what and who to investigate and send to the public prosecutor’s office.  There is a chance that they might use the power of authority in order to privately benefit individuals making up the police organization.  This is a matter of fact in terms of public economics (public choice theory).  As unjustified resentment for protest against the unjust police action, or as a favor to KEPCO which is one of the important sources of parachuting officials, they will arrest those involved in citizens’ action.  This is nothing surprising about this at all.  The prosecutor’s office has a view that police are fundamentally good.  This won’t help at all.

That is why, for the victims of the abuse of power of authority to be protected, it is necessary to guarantee “as the right” the right to not cooperate with those who maliciously abuse the power of authority.  “Detention because of exercising the right to remain silent” is essentially absurd.

”What’s doubtful should be a benefit to defendant” is not for a real trial only.  Both arrests and detention are significant restrictions of rights, and they should be extremely carefully applied.  Current application is equal to saying, “Police can, at its own convenience, initiate 20-day imprisonment, at will.”  Current situation is absolutely terrible.  Objective evidence should be demanded for either arrests or detention.  The period of detention should be strictly limited.

Doubt in order to believe someone.  It’s a phrase by one of the main characters (Is it Akiyama?) from a comic called “Liar Game.”

Police can make mistakes.  They do bad things.  The reason why you doubt them on that ground is to discover what is left to be believable.  Someone who believes that “Police don’t maliciously investigate or send someone to the public prosecutor’s office.” is overly soft-headed.  Or else the person is, in short, irresponsible, as “he/she won’t be bothered by someone who is actually making mistakes and doing bad deeds.”  (Actually, there is a possibility it could be worse).

In the first place, Japanese legal statistics include abnormal numbers compared to foreign countries such as 99.9% guilty verdict rate and a probability for permission for detention.

They might say, “Guilty verdict rate is 99.9% because only absolutely guilty cases are indicted.”  This can be understandable as a personal belief, but it’s absurd as knowledge of social science.

Power always corrupts, but a system relying on individual morals corrupts at a more severe level.  It’s because it’s equal to being ungoverned.

It is necessary to analyze the Japanese criminal trial system from a social science point of view.  It is necessary to conduct an opinion poll of public prosecutors and judges (for instance in regards to the meaning of the right to remain silent, the possibility of abuse of power, and the importance of restricting rights to arrest and detain, etc.)  Researchers are needed to visualize “conscience” of criminal justice.  Is anybody doing such research?

I am sometimes asked if I am afraid of police.  Of course I am not unafraid of police.  I am adapting to the environment of jail and learning something here.  However, violation of human rights being imposed on me is tremendously terrible.

I am rather afraid of the world where one is afraid of police when having done nothing wrong, the world where people take for granted without any doubt that “one is afraid of police when having done nothing wrong,” and the world where everyone remains silent.  Moreover, situations are getting worse.

Such a world is a terrible place for police officers, especially young police officers.  Is there anything we can do to change the situation for them?

Other than police officers, when I see faces of young people, I feel hope and joy without reason, but at the same time I feel apologetic to them.  The state of the world we are leaving for them is, currently,  absolutely terrible.  Let’s improve it even a little bit with our power.

In addition to issues of nuclear power plants and radiation, we must immediately deal with the danger of this country becoming a police state.  What we can do in the next one to two years will greatly alter our future.  Especially those of you called “scholars,” there will be no other opportunity unless you act on it now.  We must do it now.

December 19, 2012
Masaki Shimoji


Original Japanese version can be found in the following link:
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/garekitaiho1113/e/b09b2706b4dd4f5ae75d4e394a5fc5fe

Statement from Dr. Helen Caldicott in support of Professor Shimoji

Professor Shimoji is a brave and moral man who is worried about his students and future generations. It is imperative that he be supported in his quest to halt incineration of radioactive waste in Osaka and elsewhere in Japan as this will add to the misery, sickness and deaths that will be the Fukushima legacy.

Helen Caldicott

ヘレン・カルディコット博士からの声明文

下地教授は、学生や次世代の人々を気遣う、勇敢で道徳心のある人物です。大阪あるいは日本のその他の地域において、苦しみ、病、死といった福島の遺産を増やすことからも、下地教授の追求する放射能汚染瓦礫焼却停止を、私達がサポートすることは必須です。

ヘレン・カルディコット

We are collecting individual and group statements from all over the world in support of freeing Professor Shimoji.  Please send them with your name, name of your organization if any, and your address to frcsrus@gmail.com.

Obaa-chan and Nappa Cabbage Radiation Test

I am a temporary worker at a radiation food measurement center.

Today, an elderly old lady came.
She heard about us from someone.

She was a very polite, old-fashioned type person.

She brought nappa cabbage leaves cut up into large chunks.

The leaves should really have been cut up into small pieces.

However, we are not allowed to cut them up here.
I pushed and smashed them into the container for taking a measurement.

The elderly lady came back into the center three hours later, deeply bowing her head.

She said, “Thank you for doing the measurement.”

Fortunately, the nappa cabbage measurement was ND (Not Detected).

I told her so.

But she had no idea what that meant.

I have explained to others about it here several times before.

But they just don’t understand becquerel and sievert.

What came out of her mouth was what I always hear....

“Is it safe for me to eat?”

This instrument only measures gamma radiation.

I thought about telling her that it did not measure radioactive strontium, but I just couldn’t.

I said, “Obaa-chan, this vegetable came out low!  Low cesium!”

She smiled and asked, “Is it safe for my grandchildren to eat it?”

I couldn’t answer it....
I didn’t know it myself.

So I talked to her about radiation.
For about 30 minutes.

I don’t think she understood what I explained.

However, that old lady was crying.

She lived alone and nobody was teaching her anything.

TV said it was okay, but she couldn’t believe it....

But she cried when she heard my explanation, saying nobody was so kind to teach her all that.

She joined her hand in prayer, bowing to me.

I said, “I hope you live a long life, Obaa-chan.”

I didn’t know what else to say.

I just cried with her.

What in the world is “Japan” doing?


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Original Japanese version can be found in the following link:
http://www.twitlonger.com/show/kegq13

Fourth Letter from Jailed Professor Shimoji

On December 19, 2012, which was when Professor Shimoji and another man were supposed to be released from detention, Osaka District Court decided to extend the period of detention.  Professor Shimoji’s detention was extended by nine days, which makes the end of his detention December 28th.

For the previous letters from Professor Masaki Shimoji who has been jailed since December 9th for opposing the debris incineration in Osaka, please refer to the following links:
http://fukushimavoice-eng.blogspot.com/2012/12/unjust-arrest-of-professor-opposing.html
http://fukushimavoice-eng.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-second-letter-from-jailed-professor.html
http://fukushimavoice-eng.blogspot.com/2012/12/third-letter-from-jailed-professor.html?spref=tw

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Please sign this petition to demand the immediate and unconditional release of Associate Professor Masaki Shimoji.

http://keepcivicactivity.jimdo.com/english/

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Consideration on Why Unjust Arrests Continue

by Masaki Shimoji

Last night I thought about why the police would do something this stupid.  Of course, I already know why, but I decided to reexamine it, taking into consideration what I have seen and heard since my arrest.

In summary, the police (or actually Public Security Division 3) cannot help being afraid of citizens who protest the police.

On October 5th, they unjustly arrested Mr. A in front of the KEPCO headquarter.  A police officer fell on his own, but he lied that he was “pushed down” by Mr. A and arrested him.  They probably thought they would scare citizens participating in protest activities a little, for the sake of KEPCO which offers lucrative positions to former police officials.

However, surprisingly to the police, an unexpected chain of events happened.
First, the decisive moment of travesty of justice was publicly videotaped.　
Secondly, voices of anger towards this unjust action of the police were widely spread.
They must have been flustered with the continuing protest in front of Temma police station and the criticism of police coming in from all over Japan.  They kept responding in an even more abominable and insincere fashion, which led to more criticism coming in.

They actually had one chance to think it over.  All they had to do was release Mr. A and back down.  However, the more foolish someone is, the more they rush into a huge gamble in order to recover the loss.  Police began to commit a reckless act of arresting supporters of Mr. A, one after another.  Many of Mr. A’s supporters and those who were calling people to protest the police got arrested.  Instead of thinking over their own bad deed, they, as offenders, became angry at the victims.  They should be pitied.

At least one of the background of a series of oppressive acts was the protest against the unjust arrest on October 5th.  In regards to this matter, I would like to confirm at least two points.

(1) There is a videotape that captured the decisive moment of travesty of justice.  It’s available on the Internet.  There is a blog that analyzed still images from the video.  Please share this with as many people as possible.　

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Videotape that captured the decisive moment of travesty of justice:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9wCH6IFZMM&feature=youtu.be
(Around 2 minute and 40 seconds into the video, it appears that a police officer falls on top of a woman who begins to scream about the pain.  Mr. A, in a beige shirt and having been questioned by the police officer in the beginning of the video, is pulled down on top of the police officer.  After this, other police officers pull Mr. A away and lead him towards the police car).

A blog analyzing still images from the video:
http://portirland.blogspot.com/2012/10/hangenpatu-demo-taiho-kanden-houdou.html
(The woman who fell describes that she fell first and the police officer, who was grabbing Mr. A, tripped over her leg and fell on his bottom, still grabbing Mr. A).

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However, they might simply say the police officer “abruptly grabbed the sleeve when he was pushed down.”  So, please share with as many people as possible the following explanation of circumstances leading up to the October 5th arrest of Mr. A.


(2) There is the fact that police suddenly rushed out on October 5th, while remaining quiet during the whole month of September in front of KEPCO headquarters.  In August, there was a protest against their unjust interference of the protest action, which revealed lies in their words in the eyes of the public.  Many present there began to call aloud, “Go home, police.”  This was streamed live on the Internet, leading to even more criticism.  They couldn’t stand the cold look by citizens, so they stopped all the interference during the month of September.  However, that totally changed on October 5.  Suddenly, once more, many police officers were present and closing in on the citizens, intimidating them with violent words.  On some occasions, a single citizen would be surrounded by multiple police officers.  “This feels different today” was what was perceived by many people that day.
It was under these circumstances that the travesty of justice was carried out.  A violent person “happened” to push down a police officer when many police officers “happened” to be present at the scene.  Is this how it went?  No way.  Anybody would think that “From the beginning, the police were going to arrest one person.”

(I have written a summary of these events in the number 11 issue of the Internet magazine called “Kesaran Pasaran.”  Please read it if you are interested. http://www.kesaranpasaran.net/)

Let’s step back and consider “the possibility that Mr. A pushed the police officer down.”  What is the basis for this?  It’s nothing more than the statement by the police officer himself that “he was pushed down.”  The arrest itself was unjust but how could they justify detainment, let alone indictment.

Police (actually Public Security Division 3) are simply being obstinate; in other words it’s nothing more than kids picking a fight.  All I can say is that It’s truly shameful.   Those being tested are not those of us who got arrested but actually the National Security Division 3 and the security division of Osaka Prefectural Police.

(Written on December 17, 2012)

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Message from Professor Shimoji

“I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to everyone who is pouring love to me just as usual or even more than usual even though I am in jail.  I love all of you more than ever.”
“Letters can be sent to the jail in a regular manner despite censorship.  If you like, please send me letters.  I would like to know anything that is going on outside the jail as much as possible.”

Address:  Masaki Shimoji
               Detention Facilities
               Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarter
               3-1-11 Otemae
               Chuo-ku, Osaka  540-8540
               Japan

               〒540-8540
               大阪市中央区大手前３丁目１番１１号
               大阪府警察本部　留置施設内
               下地真樹


Original Japanese article can be found in the following link:
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/garekitaiho1113/e/ed6af0424c23c222e282bc07da34e195

Video of Professor Masaki Shimoji protesting against the incineration of disaster debris in Osaka on August 30, 2012.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm-FPZ-9Zi0

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Statement from Dr. Helen Caldicott in support of Professor Shimoji

Professor
Shimoji is a brave and moral man who is worried about his students and
future generations. It is imperative that he be supported in his quest
to halt incineration of radioactive waste in Osaka and elsewhere in
Japan as this will add to the misery, sickness and deaths that will be
the Fukushima legacy.

Helen Caldicott

ヘレン・カルディコット博士からの声明文

下地教授は、学生や次世代の人々を気遣う、勇敢で道徳心のある人物です。大阪あるいは日本のその他の地域において、苦しみ、病、死といった福島の遺産を増やすことからも、下地教授の追求する放射能汚染瓦礫焼却停止を、私達がサポートすることは必須です。

ヘレン・カルディコット

We are collecting individual and group statements from all over the world in support of freeing Professor Shimoji.  Please send them with your name, name of your organization if any, and your address to frcsrus@gmail.com.

Third Letter from Jailed Professor Masaki Shimoji

For the previous letters from Professor Masaki Shimoji who has been jailed since December 9th for opposing the debris incineration in Osaka, please refer to the following links:
http://fukushimavoice-eng.blogspot.com/2012/12/unjust-arrest-of-professor-opposing.html
http://fukushimavoice-eng.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-second-letter-from-jailed-professor.html

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Please sign this petition to demand the immediate and unconditional release of Associate Professor Masaki Shimoji.

http://keepcivicactivity.jimdo.com/english/

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December 18th Letter

Thank you so very much, everyone.
It is a lot more comfortable in jail than I imagined.
There are three of us in the same room.  We are getting along fine.  Please don’t worry.

I get up exactly at 7 am.  We put away our futons, do some cleaning, and wash our faces.
We have breakfast at 8 am.  Afterwards we take turns “exercising,” several of us at a time.  All we do when we “exercise” is that we go to an area, sort of like a veranda, that is three to four times as big as our room.  It’s surrounded by walls and frosted glass, and we can’t see outside.

There we can shave ourselves and smoke cigarettes.  I don’t smoke cigarettes, but many people look forward to it.  It also provides few opportunities we have to interact with other people, so it’s a fresh change of air.  We take turns “exercising” which ends about 10 am.

After exercising, we can use books, notebooks and pens, basically until the evening.
We can have up to three books in the room, but they can always be exchanged with new ones.  I do writing and reading, sometimes doing a little stretching.  Lunch is at noon and dinner is at 5 pm.  All this takes place in the room.

However, I have to go through occasional interrogation, which is quite annoying.  I must face the interrogation alone.  Honestly it is quite a bit of pressure, but it becomes nothing when I think about all the support directed to me from outside.  Nothing to be afraid of.  I would rather read a book instead of being interrogated.  Boring.

Around 6:45 pm, rooms are inspected and we get our futons ready.  We turn in our writing supplies and books.  After we lay our futons down, we can choose one book for the night, which must be turned in before the lights-out at 9 pm.  I actually sleep quite deeply during the night.  No problem there.  But it gets to be too long, so I get up pretty early in the morning.

I would rather not be in jail, but there are many discoveries here.  Yakuza and police are all humans.  My experience here is definitely something I would not be able to have outside the jail.  I am taking a “so-what” attitude and seeing it as a “fieldwork.”  It’s actually pretty interesting.

I received four letters from various people.  Thank you to each of the letter senders.  The letters cheer me up.  I was forcibly cut off from many people, but it’s strange that now I am connecting with even more people, and the connection is stronger than before.  

I met with a public prosecutor this morning.  I severely complained and protested lies by the police.  The prosecutor made excuses for each complaint.  For instance, the prosecutor told me, “Why don’t you talk instead of remaining silent?”  I said, “What makes you think that what I say will be treated fairly by the police which requested an arrest warrant based on such obvious lies?  They can make up evidences and testimony later.  There is a possibility they will arbitrarily exercise their powers of authority.  That’s why it is important to remain silent.”  I then asked back, “Does the prosecutor have a view that police are fundamentally good?”  We had other exchanges.  I will have to see what will happen from now on.

I am heading to the court hearing for indication of the reasons for detention now.  I am looking forward to seeing everyone there.

I don’t know what will happen from now on, but I am doing very well.  You don’t have to worry about me.  Please keep up the fight outside.  Keep up with opposition of the disaster debris incineration.  I will write about the disaster debris issues in the future.

Masaki Shimoji
2012.12.18

**********************************************************************************

＜For the court hearing for indication of the reasons for detention＞

Written on 2012.12.15 for 2012.12.18.

Thank you to everyone who showed up.  I really appreciate it.
There is something that I learned in jail.  They are afraid of us.  It’s true.  They are truly afraid of us.  Everything they do is because they are afraid of us--increasing oppression, desperate indictment of one protester after another, and their frantic attempts to suppress and split us.

Let’s make today--the day of court hearing for indication of the reasons for detention--the day of our complete victory.   No word needs to be uttered and no one needs to be removed from court.  Silence rules.  Please glare at the presiding judge with all your might.  He is, and they are, afraid of us.  (I won’t get angry if someone raises their voices, however.  I might even do that myself).

I am preparing a statement I intend to read during the ten-minute period given to me.  I will put all I have into it.  I will put everything in there for my fellow protesters who have been unjustly arrested and indicted.

We will definitely prevail.  Actually, we have already prevailed.  Those who lie can only live in lies, and thus they are already living in hell.  In actuality, we have already won by living our lives faithfully and conscientiously according to what we believe is right.  It is themselves that will determine their own fate.  They will have to decide.  At the same time, we will tirelessly and solemnly continue the fight to change the reality.

Masaki Shimoji


http://blog.goo.ne.jp/garekitaiho1113/e/b6d0647c4f6a664ffbef2bd1cf3e36b3



本当に、本当にみなさん、ありがとうございます。
留置所の中は、想像していたより、かなり快適に過ごしています。
同じ部屋には僕を含めて3人、うまくやっています。心配ありません。

朝は7時ちょうどに起床。布団を片づけ、掃除。それから洗顔。
8時ごろから朝ごはん。終わると、数人ずつ交代で｢運動」。｢運動」と言っても部屋より３・４倍広いくらいのベランダのようなところに行くだけです。まわりは壁とすりガラスで、外の様子は見えません。

そこでは、ヒゲそりができて、タバコが吸えます。僕は吸いませんが、これをたのしみにしている人は多いです。また他の部屋の人と話ができる数少ない機会なので、気分転換になります。交代で｢運動」に出て、だいたい10時頃に終わります。

運動のあとは、基本的に夜まで、本とノートとペンが使用できます。
本は部屋の中では3冊まで、いつでも交換できます。ストレッチなどしながら、書き物と読書。昼食が12時、夕食が17時。ずっと部屋の中です。

ただし、時々、取り調べがあり、これがかなり面倒くさいです。取り調べには一人で立ち向かわねばなりません。正直、かなりの重圧ではありますが、しかし、 外の支援が支えてくれている、と思うとき、なんともなくなります。恐るるに足りず、です。こんなことしてるくらいなら本を読みたい。退屈。

18時45分くらいから、部屋の検査と布団の準備。このとき、筆記具と本は一旦返します。布団の用意をして、その後は、夜用の本、一冊だけ選べます。消灯前に返却。そして21時消灯。夜は割りとグッスリ眠れます。問題なし。でも、長すぎて朝はわりと早く起きます。

留置所の中にいたいとは思いませんが、ここで気づかされることは多いです。ヤクザも警察官も人間です。外では絶対できない経験をしています。フィールドワークのようなつもりで、開き直ってやっています。こう言ってはなんだけど、おもしろいです。

今日、いろんな方から4通の手紙をもらいました。それぞれありがとうございます。励まされています。たくさんの人たちからムリヤリ切り離されたおかげで、以前よりたくさんの人ともっと強くつながったこと、なんだか不思議に思います。

今日、午前中、検事調べありました。警察のデタラメについて厳重に抗議しました。検事はいちいち言い訳してて、たとえば｢黙秘せずに話してくれれば」と言 いました。私は、「これほどまでにハッキリとウソを書いて逮捕状を請求する警察に、話したことがちゃんとまともに扱われると思えるわけがないでしょう。証 拠も証言も後から作れます。警察が恣意的に職権行使をすることがありうる、だから黙秘権が大切なのです」。
「検事は警察性善説に立っているのですか」と問い返しました。他にもいろいろやり取り。果たして今後どうなるか、見物です。

これから勾留理由開示裁判に行きます。久しぶりにみんなに会えるので楽しみです。

　これからどうなるかわからんけど、僕はとても元気です。全然心配いりません。外の闘いを頼みます。ガレキのことも頑張って。ガレキ問題についての文章も追って書こうと思います。

下地　真樹　　2012.12.18



＜勾留理由開示裁判にむけて＞

2012.12.18のために、2012.12.15記す

今日きてくれた皆さん、ありがとう。本当にありがとう。
中に入ってわかったことがある。彼らは僕らのことを恐れている。本当だ。彼らは本当に僕たちのことを恐れている。どんどん激しくなる弾圧も、やけくそのような起訴も、必死になって僕らを抑圧し、分断しようとするのも、すべて彼らが僕らを恐れているからだ。

今日の勾留理由開示裁判は、完全勝利の日にしよう。一言も発することなく、誰一人退廷させられることなく、無言でいい。全力で裁判長をにらみつけてやって ください。彼は、彼らは、僕らのことを恐れていますから。（でも騒いだ人がいても、僕は怒りません（笑）。人のこと言えませんし）

僕は、与えられた10分間に読む文章を準備しています。そこにすべてを叩きつけます。
他にも不当に逮捕・起訴されている仲間の分も、すべてを叩きつけます。

僕らは必ず勝利します。と言うより、すでに勝利しています。ウソをつく者は、ウソの中に生きるしかない、という意味で、すでに地獄に生きるしかないからで す。僕らは自らが正しいと信じることに忠実に誠実に生きることにおいて、すでに勝利しているからです。彼ら自身の運命を決めるのは彼らです。それは彼らに 決めてもらいましょう。同時に僕らは飽くことなく、現実を変えるための闘いを粛々と続けましょう。

下地　真樹