Tokyo (VNA) – A ceremony celebrating the 50th year since people of Japan's Kanagawa prefecture blocked the transportation of tanks that the US military intended to send to the battlefield in South Vietnam, was held by the Peace Committee of Kanagawa on December 18.

During the event, participants recalled the years of fighting for peace and protesting the US military's unjust war in Vietnam.

In the early morning of August 5, 1972, the authority and people of Yokohama city of Kanagawa gathered together to prevent the US military from moving five M-48 tanks from Sagamihara logistics warehouse to the port for transporting to the battlefield in Vietnam,  on the grounds that they exceeded public road weight limits under Japanese laws. The US military was forced to bring the tanks back to the warehouse, and could not deliver them to Vietnam as planned.

Toshikazu Maru, a member of the committee, highlighted the significance of the commemoration, saying that it sends out a message reminding young people of the two countries to not forget history and join hands for peace for the mankind.

He recalled that peace organisations of Kanagawa prefecture were indignant when Japan became a base for invasion activities of the US imperialists, so the people of the Japanese locality strictly monitored activities of US military bases in the prefecture and joined demonstrations to support the Vietnamese people's struggle for national liberation.

In the framework of the commemoration, the committee exhibited photos on the movement for peace of Kanagawa’s people.

As a non-profit organisation operating on the principle of peace, for many years, the committee has organised the commemoration of the event every five years, contributing to disseminate patriotism and calling on young people of the two countries to join hands to prevent risks that may lead to war in the future./.