Vision and Mission of Amnesty International

The vision of Amnesty International (AI) is of a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards. In pursuit of this vision, AI's mission is to undertake research and action focused on preventing and ending grave abuses of the rights to physical and mental integrity, freedom of conscience and expression, and freedom from discrimination, within the context of its work to promote all human rights.

Amnesty International Japan 2004-2006

Amnesty International Japan is currently campaigning on the following four themes:

1. The Death Penalty (permanent campaign)
2. Refugees Have Rights (permanent campaign)
3. Stop Violence Against Women (international campaign for 2004-06)
4. Act Against Discrimination (Japan campaign for 2004-06)

1. The Death Penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. It violates the right to life. It is irrevocable and can be inflicted on the innocent. It has never been shown to deter crime more effectively than other punishment.

   As a human right organization, Amnesty International (AI) works for end to executions and the abolition of the death penalty everywhere.

   Above all, AI is currently conducting a Stop Child Executions! campaign, aimed at ending the use of the death penalty against child offenders by the end of 2005.

   For more information, refer to http://web.amnesty.org/pages/deathpenalty-index-eng

2. Refugees are people who were displaced from their countries of origin for various reasons such as; race, religion, nationality, political opinion, social group, environmental deterioration or armed conflict.

   Thus, every refugee can be attributed to a government's failure to protect their human rights. However, refugees are often portrayed, by governments and the media, as problems and even "terrorists", particularly after the September 11 incident. Thus, it is getting more difficult for asylum seekers to get refugee status in many countries.

   Amnesty International Japan works to reform the immigration law of Japan in order to encourage Japan to be a refugge-frindly country. AI Japan also provide information and advice to asylum seekers for applying refugee status.

3. Violence against women is the greatest human rights scandal of our times. From birth to death, in times of peace as well as war, women face discrimination and violence at the hands of the state, the community and the family.

   Such violence includes battering, rape, sexual harassment, forced prostitution, trafficking, sex-selective abortion and murder. AI works to protect women from these abuses, by making recommendations to governments worldwide.

   For more information, refer to http://web.amnesty.org/actforwomen/index-eng

4. Japan has been receiving an increasing number of people from abroad in recent years. In this context, xenophobic atmosphere is spreading throughout Japanese society. Above all, the government and the police have begun to take stricter measures against foreigners, claiming that "illegal" migrants have contributed to the sharp increase of crimes in Japan.

   Amnesty International Japan considers their attitude as discriminatory and finds that many of their measures seriously violate human rights. AIJ, in cooperation with other NGOs, works against discrimination, by demanding the government to halt these actions and to protect the human rights of foreign residents.

Monthly Magazine "The Wire"

AI issues the monthly magazine "The Wire". You can subscribe to this magazine through AIJ by becoming a member of AIJ. You will also receive every four months the English summary of our Japanese monthly magazine. JOIN US as a member!

• [individual member (annual)] 12,000 yen per Year.
• [individual member (monthly)] 1,000 yen per Month.
• [supporting member (annual)] 10,000 yen per Year.
• [Join Groups] vary by group.

On Line Donation

In order to carry out our mission, or to eradicate human rights abuses worldwide, we first need to collect precise information and to share it with people all over the world. It costs on average 900,000 yen (or about $10,000) to investigate into a case and to distribute the information. AI currently deals with some 2,800 cases per year, but we will widen our activity with more financial resources. WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT.