２０２２年７月２１日、岸田内閣による安倍晋三元首相の国葬に反対する声明
岸田内閣による安倍晋三元首相の国葬に反対する声明
２０２２年７月２１日
自由法曹団団長 吉田健一
岸田首相は、本年7月１４日、今秋に安倍晋三元首相の国葬を執り行うことを表明し、報道によれば明日にも閣議決定がされる見通しとのことである。
国葬は、国が個人の葬儀を主宰し、その費用に国費をもって充てるものであり、戦後は一例を除いて実施されることはなかった。こうしたことから安倍元首相の国葬をおこなうことについて、賛否は大きく分かれており、これを強行することは以下に述べる通り、法的にも社会的・政治的にも重大な問題をはらんでいることから、自由法曹団は強く反対する。
【法令上の根拠がなく財政立憲主義に反するおそれ】
現在、国葬について定めた法令は存在しない。もともと戦前においては、１９２６年に制定された勅令（国葬令）に国葬に関する定めがあったが、この勅令は、憲法に不適合なものとして「日本国憲法施行の際現に効力を有する命令の規定の効力に関する法律」１条に基づき失効している。
戦後唯一の例外として挙行された吉田茂元首相の国葬に関しても、塚原敏郎総務長官（当時）は「根拠になる法律もなく苦労した」と述べている。また佐藤栄作元首相に関し、国葬の実施が検討された際も、「法的根拠が明確でない」とする内閣法制局の見解等によって見送られた経緯がある。このように国葬に法的根拠のないことは明らかであり、岸田首相が内閣設置法の内閣の所掌事務として「国の儀式」にあたるとして、閣議決定があれば実施可能とした解釈は到底認められない。
このように法令上の根拠のないまま内閣の独断でこれを行うことは、政治的思惑に基づく国費の恣意的支出との批判を免れず、「国の財政を処理する権限は、国会の議決に基いて、これを行使しなければならない。」（憲法８３条）とする財政立憲主義の観点から許されない。
【国民の思想・良心の自由に反するおそれ】
安倍元首相は一政党に属する国会議員であるが、その葬儀を国が主催し、国費を支出することは、個々人が故人を悼むこととは異なり国家として当該個人への弔意を表すものである。したがって、すべての国民が当該国会議員への弔意を事実上強要されることになりかねず、さらには当該政党への献金を強制されたに等しい効果を及ぼす。実際に、吉田茂元首相の国葬の際には、「国民をあげて冥福を祈る」の大号令の下、競馬や競輪などの公営競技が中止となり、娯楽番組の放送が中止され、全国各地でサイレンが鳴り響かされて職場や街頭で黙とうがささげられる、という事態が生じている。
すでに、安倍元首相の葬儀にあたり、弔旗を掲げたり、記帳台や献花台を設置したりした自治体もあり、兵庫県三田市の教育委員会のように学校現場において半旗の掲揚を求めた事例も生じている。政府が国葬を実施すれば、こうした傾向がさらに助長されることが懸念され、こうした弔意の強制は、思想・良心の自由（憲法１９条）に反するものであり許されない。
【安倍元首相への批判を封じ、市民の中に分断をもたらすおそれ】
岸田首相は、安倍元首相につき「東日本大震災からの復興や日本経済の再生、日米同盟を基軸とした外交の展開など様々な分野で実績を残すなど、その功績は素晴らしいものがある」と持ち上げ、それを国葬の理由としているが、それこそ賛否が大きく分かれるものである。
安倍元首相はその在任中の２０１４年７月、政府が長らく専守防衛の範囲を超える集団的自衛権の行使は憲法違反となるとしてきた立場を変更する閣議決定を強行し、２０１５年には集団的自衛権行使を容認した安保法制を、多くの国民の反対の声を押し切って成立させた。また民主主義の基盤を根底から揺るがす特定秘密保護法の成立を強行し、「世界で一番企業が活動しやすい国にする」として掲げたアベノミクスにより、国民の中の貧富の格差を著しく拡大させた。さらに、森友・加計学園問題、「桜を見る会」等にみられる政治の私物化にかかわる疑惑等を首相自らが引き起こした上、国会で虚偽答弁を繰り返した結果、未だその真相は明らかとなっていない。さらに自殺者まで出した行政文書の改ざん問題についても、未解決なままである。こうした安倍元首相の「業績」については我々も都度批判してきたところであり、死亡によって「なかったこと」にすることは到底できない。未解決の問題については引き続き真相究明や検証が行われなければならず、安倍元首相への正当な批判が封じられることになっては決してならない。
しかし、実際には安倍元首相への批判に対する攻撃は起きており、安倍政権の後継である岸田政権を批判する街頭宣伝をしている人々に対する妨害も発生している。また北海道警が安倍元首相の演説中にヤジを飛ばした聴衆をいきなり排除した事件で、裁判所が道警の措置を違法と判断したことが警護をやりづらくさせたとする言説や、銃撃犯が在日朝鮮人である等の事実無根のデマまでが流布されるなど根拠のない非難も起きている。
こうした中で国葬を実施すれば、安倍元首相を礼讃するという実際上の効果をもたらすこととならざるを得ない。その結果、安倍元首相の批判への攻撃に拍車がかかり、市民間の分断を一層助長するおそれが強い。そうなれば自由な言論は保障されず、民主主義が危機に瀕することも懸念される。
安倍元首相の国葬を行うことに反対する意見は、すでに各界各層から表明されており、拙速に閣議決定すべき問題でないことは明らかである。よって自由法曹団は、安倍元首相の国葬の実施に強く反対し、直ちに計画の撤回を求めるものである。
以上
Statement
opposing the state funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe by the Kishida Cabinet
July 21, 2022
Japan Lawyers Association for Freedom (JLAF)
President Kenichi Yoshida
On July 14, Prime Minister Kishida announced that he would conduct a state funeral for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe this fall, and according to media reports, a cabinet decision is expected tomorrow.
State funerals, in which the state presides over a funeral of an individual, and the cost is paid for with state funds, were not practiced after the war, except in one instance. There is a wide divergence of opinion on whether or not to hold a state funeral for former Prime Minister Abe. JLAF strongly opposes it because of the serious legal, social, and political problems that would result from forcing such an action, as described below.
【Lack of legal basis and possible violation of fiscal constitutionalism】
Currently, there are no laws or regulations governing state funerals. Originally, before the end of World War II, there was a provision on state funerals in the Imperial Ordinance (State Funeral Ordinance) enacted in 1926. However, this imperial decree has been revoked in accordance with Article 1 of the “Law Concerning the Validity of Provisions of Orders Currently in Force at the Time of the Enactment of the Constitution of Japan” 「日本国憲法施行の際現に効力を有する命令の規定の効力に関する法律」as being incompatible with the Constitution.
As for the state funeral of former Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida, which was the only exception in the postwar period, Toshiro Tsukahara, then Director-General of the General Affairs Bureau, stated, “We had a hard time because there was no law on which to base the ceremony.” When the government considered holding a state funeral for former Prime Minister Eisaku Sato, the Cabinet Legislation Bureau’s opinion that “the legal basis was not clear” led to the decision not to do so. Thus, it is clear that there is no legal basis for state funerals, and Prime Minister Kishida’s interpretation that states funerals are “state ceremonies” under the jurisdiction of the Cabinet under the Law for Establishment of the Cabinet, and can be held if a Cabinet decision is made, is absolutely unacceptable.
Such an arbitrary decision by the Cabinet, without legal basis, cannot escape criticism as an arbitrary expenditure of government funds based on political motives, and is impermissible by fiscal constitutionalism, which states that “the power to administer national finances shall be exercised as the Diet shall determine” (Article 83 of the Constitution).
【May violate people’s freedom of thought and conscience】
The fact that the government sponsors the funeral of former Prime Minister Abe, a member of the Diet who belongs to a particular political party, and pays for the funeral with government funds is an expression of the nation’s condolences to a particular person, as opposed to an individual’s mourning for a deceased person. Therefore, all citizens could be effectively forced to offer their condolences to a particular Diet member, and this would have the same effect as forcing them to donate money to a particular political party. In fact, at the time of the state funeral of former Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida, under the grand order “the whole nation prays for the repose of his soul,” horse races, bicycle races, and other public sports were cancelled, entertainment programs were stopped, sirens were sounded throughout the country, and silent prayers were offered at work and on the streets.
Some local governments already raised flags of condolence and set up a memorial table and flower offering stand at the time of former Prime Minister Abe’s private funeral, and there have been cases, such as the Board of Education of Sanda City, Hyogo Prefecture, which requested that flags be flown at half-staff at school sites. If the government implements the state funeral, there is concern that this trend will be furthered, and such forced condolences are in violation of the freedom of thought and conscience (Article 19 of the Constitution) and are not permissible.
【May block criticism of former Prime Minister Abe and create divisions among citizens】
Prime Minister Kishida praises former Prime Minister Abe, saying that his achievements in various fields, such as recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake, revitalization of the Japanese economy, and development of diplomacy based on the Japan-U.S. alliance, are outstanding, and that is the reason for his state funeral. However, that is exactly what the pros and cons are so widely divided on.
In July 2014, during his tenure, former Prime Minister Abe forced through a cabinet decision to change the government’s long-held position that the exercise of the state’s right of collective self-defense which is beyond the scope of exclusive defense would be a violation of the Constitution, and in 2015 he passed the Security Law, which authorized the exercise of collective self-defense, over the objections of many citizens. He also forced the passage of the Act on the Protection of Specially Designated Secrets, which shook the foundations of democracy, and Abenomics, which was designed to “make Japan the easiest country in the world for corporations to operate,” has significantly widened the gap between the rich and the poor among the people. In addition, former Prime Minister Abe has brought about the Moritomo/Kake Gakuen issue, the “Cherry Blossom Viewing Party,” and other allegations of privatization of politics, and has repeatedly given false answers in the Diet, the truth of which has yet to be revealed. Furthermore, the issue of falsification of administrative documents, which even resulted in a suicide, remains unresolved. We have criticized former Prime Minister Abe’s “achievements” on numerous occasions, it is impossible to “pretend that they did not happen” due to his death. The unresolved issues must continue to be investigated and verified, and legitimate criticism of former Prime Minister Abe must never be allowed to be blocked.
In reality, however, attacks on criticism of former Prime Minister Abe have occurred, as well as obstructions against those who are carrying out street demonstrations criticizing the Kishida administration, the successor to the Abe administration. There have been unfounded accusations that the court ruling that the Hokkaido police’s action was illegal in the case where the Hokkaido police suddenly removed an audience who yelled during a speech by former Prime Minister Abe made it difficult for the police to provide security for him. There have even been unfounded accusations, such as the spread of false rumors that the shooter was a Korean living in Japan.
Holding a state funeral in this atmosphere would have to have an actual effect of glorifying former Prime Minister Abe. As a result, there is a strong risk that this will spur attacks on former Prime Minister Abe’s criticisms, further contributing to divisions among citizens. If this happens, free speech will not be guaranteed, and there is concern that democracy will be endangered.
Opinions opposing the holding of a state funeral for former Prime Minister Abe have already been expressed from all walks of life, and it is clear that this is not an issue that should be decided by the Cabinet in a hasty manner. Therefore, JLAF strongly opposes the implementation of the state funeral for former Prime Minister Abe and calls for the immediate withdrawal of the plan.