Why an Asia-Pacific Freeze?

The Pacific Freeze is a campaign to freeze and then reduce the military spending of the United States, Japan, China, Russia, South Korea, and North Korea. These countries, which are participating in the Six Party Talks, account for more than 65% of global military spending. We urgently need to address the dangerous escalation in global military spending, which has increased 45% over the last decade. We are wasting precious resources on preparing for war when the world faces a dire economic crisis and the planet faces a catastrophic climate crisis. We believe the place to begin is with the major military spenders, particularly the United States. We believe the first step is a Pacific Freeze.

The campaign is coordinated by the Institute for Policy Studies on behalf of peace activists and scholars in the above countries. We want the issue of military spending included in the regional discussions, but we also think that the six governments won't act without public pressure. We urge you to read our Call to Action and become an individual signatory.