Stop supporting moves for U.S. military retaliation: JCP chair to prime
minister
In talks between the Prime Minister and opposition party leaders on
September 20, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo urged the Japanese
government to stop providing support for U.S. military retaliation against
terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.
Shii handed Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro a JCP representation
concerning this problem. (see separate item)
In the talks between the prime minister and heads of the Democratic Party
of Japan, the JCP, and the Social Democratic Party, P.M. Koizumi explained
the government measures he published on the previous day against terrorist
attacks.
Shii emphasized the vital need to eliminate terrorism, as a wish of the
entire international community and the people of Japan. Then he said, "The
key to its solution is to make clear which is the most effective, use of
legal and reasonable measures."
"The choice is between military retaliation and pursuing justice
lawfully. However, the Japanese government has made no attempt to make an
independent decision on this issue," Shii said. He proposed that the
Japanese government reconsider its unconditional support for military
retaliation by the U.S. and stop taking cooperative steps with the U.S. only
from this angle.
Shii pressed Koizumi to show the international legal basis which allows
the U.S. Forces to invoke military retaliation. Referring to the importance
of controlling terror under international law, Koizumi only said that he
will make due consideration on this issue.
Shii asked Koizumi, "Is your answer meant that the Japanese government
has found no specific international law to justify military retaliation?"
Koizumi replied that the U.S. government and the United Nations will
hammer out their judgments later, followed by the Japanese government.
Shii emphasized that the Japanese government has no idea about showing
legal grounds for its own policy. This is a logical consequence from the
fact that the Japanese government lacks an independent position on this
issue. Such an attitude must be carefully reviewed, Shii said. (end)