Sanrio mascots promote pacifism on 70th anniversary of Japan’s surrender

On August 14, 1945, Japan announced its surrender to the Allied Forces it would come to be known as V-J Day before signing the Japanese Instrument of Surrender aboard the U.S.S. Missouri on September 2. This year marks the 70th anniversary of Japan’s surrender but the anniversary is also in the midst of debate over constitutional revisions with criticism honed in on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Sanrio has seemingly voiced its option, albeit through the mouths of its popular mascots, in the latest issue of the company’s Ichigo Shimbun magazine. The magazine includes an article reflecting on the 70th anniversary of Japan’s surrender and is titled “Let’s think about what we can do for peace” with a sub-headline reading “No more war!” It calls for readers to research war through popular media and the memories of those who lived during that time.

The article goes on to include first-hand accounts 92 year-old woman and an 87 year-old man before Sanrio‘s mascots share their thoughts.

【サンリオ・いちご新聞8月号】 平和のためにできること、考えよう。 http://t.co/2cQwmMfEqR

—
えみむめも (@emi_mumemo) July 18, 2015

Purin: I was born after the war. I learned about war by watching, listening, and studying television, textbooks and books, and my grandma and grandpa who experienced it. If I had to wake up to such things I would cry every day, I think. Since, you couldn’t go outside, you’re hungry, you don’t know when you are going to die, it’s scarier than you could imagine.

My Melody: [discussing ISIS]: Right now this moment, lives are being snatched away. It seems that no matter where you look, people are starting wars.

My Sweet Piano: We must keep our promise not to wage war!

Hello Kitty [discussing conflicts in Afghanistan, Somalia, and the Ukraine]: Even though everyone should want peace, the truth that is that somewhere on Earth, there is a war.

[Via Kotaku]

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Origin: Sanrio mascots promote pacifism on 70th anniversary of Japan’s surrender
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