Government takes advantage of tragedy to send SDF units abroad -- Akahata
editorial, September 21, 2001

Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro has decided on a set of plans to
support U.S. military retaliation under the aegis of "combating terrorism."
Under the plan, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces would be positioned for
rear area support for the U.S. Forces. They will also provide the U.S.
Forces with information and security measures for U.S. bases in Japan.

This is tantamount to Japan's participation in war, which no Japanese law
permits, including the "law for measures to deal with situations in areas
surrounding Japan." These steps for sending SDF units abroad mean invoking
the use of force or threat to use force which the Constitution of Japan
strictly prohibits as means of settling international disputes.

Launching military retaliation is completely ineffective in eliminating
terrorism and will only aggravate the matter.

Japan's support for U.S. military retaliation violates the Constitution

As regards measures against terrorism, the Koizumi Cabinet only has
military means in mind.

Faithfully accepting U.S. requests, the Koizumi government is willing to
support U.S. military retaliation as the only way to combat terrorism, and
is now ready to help U.S. military operations once they are started.

However, launching military retaliation will lead to a cycle of further
terrorist attacks and military retaliation.

Japan's support for military retaliation will be contrary to the cause of
eliminating terrorism in response to the common call of the international
community and the Japanese people. This is a very dangerous course of
action.

In a letter addressed to heads of government in relation to the terrorist
attacks in the U.S., Central Committee Chair Fuwa Tetsuzo and Executive
Committee Chair Shii Kazuo of the Japanese Communist Party stressed that the
urgent need now is to bring the perpetrators to justice based on the U.N.
Charter and international law. The letter said that the perpetrators,
including the organizers and supporters of these terrorist acts, should be
apprehended, brought to justice, and duly punished by law. This is a basic
rule established through various international agreements.

Also, international law bans revenge using military force.

The recent U.N. Security Council resolution on the terrorist attacks in
the U.S. doesn't allow any member country to use force in dealing with the
matter. The resolution provides no legal basis for military retaliation
which the U.S. is now preparing for.

In a meeting with Prime Minister Koizumi, JCP Chair Shii asked the prime
minister to show the international legal basis for the planned military
retaliation. "The U.S. will judge" was Koizumi's answer. Far from making an
independent judgment as he advocated, he meant that his government is
rushing to support U.S. military retaliation without making a primary study
or judgment based on international law.

This is the self-confession of the Japanese government that it can not
make an independent decision. Assuming that launching the U.S.-proposed
military retaliation is the only way in coping with the matter, it is eager
to send the SDF.

SDF activities in support of the U.S. Forces will include the following
items which we cannot overlook:

Transport, supply, and other support activities are generally regarded as
logistics support, or rear area support, which are integrated with an act of
war. When the parliament debated the "law for measures to deal with
situations in areas surrounding Japan," the government said that it is
unconstitutional for Japan to conduct rear area support because such support
will be inevitably integrated with the use of force.

Another action of "intelligence gathering" by SDF ships means Japan's
participation in a U.S. war because it will help the U.S. Forces in action.

Also, the use of the SDF for the guarding of the U.S. Forces in Japan
virtually means establishing an emergency (war-time) system in Japan, which
stands against the wishes of the Japanese people and threatens human rights.

Escalating SDF actions all over the world

Every time a government plan for sending the SDF abroad surfaced, the
people of Japan resisted it saying that the use of force or threatening
other nations with a military force should never be repeated, and
successfully prevented their deployment.

But now, taking advantage of the terrorist attacks and calling it "a new
situation," the Koizumi Cabinet is attempting to realize a long-time desire
of the U.S. and the Liberal Democratic Party.

In a word, the government is going to extend, at one stroke, JSDF
coverage worldwide, overriding the limitations under the current law to
"situations in areas surrounding Japan."

This is an open challenge to the Japanese people who have a strong
determination for peace.

Also, this is contrary to the wish of the peoples of the world for the
elimination of terrorism and their expectation that Japan will contribute to
this problem through peaceful means. (end)