Do we dare to cross the Rubicon? -- Akahata editorial, November 15, 2001

The Koizumi Cabinet is pushing ahead with plans to send Self-Defense
Force units abroad using the United Nations as a cover.

It is the plan to adversely revise the International Peace Cooperation
Law on the U.N. peace-keeping operations, aimed at lifting the "freeze" in
Japan's participation in U.N. peace-keeping forces, and to ease restrictions
on the use of arms.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party wants to allow SDF units to be sent
to regions of conflict even without a cease-fire agreement in place or
without the country agreeing to receive SDF units.

Sending SDF units abroad under U.N. flag

An armed peace-keeping force would be assigned to monitor cease-fires
agreed upon in conflict regions, and it would be allowed to use arms in
self-defense against attacks in order to fulfill its mission.

No doubt, Japan, with a constitution that bans the use or threat of use
of military force, can never be allowed to take part in such PKF activities.

Everyone knows that the Constitution bans Japan from offering military
cooperation even under the UN's aegis, as clear from the statement of the
proposer of the Constitution in the constituent assembly, that Japan would
not be able to accept a U.N. request for supplying a military force.

During the parliamentary debate on the PKO Cooperation Law, the cabinet's
Legislative Bureau director general in answer stated that under the
Constitution, it would be difficult for Japan to participate in PKF
activities.

The five principles for Japan's participation in U.N. peace-keeping
operations provide that Japanese Self-Defense Force units must be withdrawn
if one or more of the following conditions is not met: a cease-fire
agreement, a consent of the country to accept SDF units, and neutrality of
activities being maintained. The PKO Cooperation Law's provision that
minimum weapons may be carried by SDF personnel is proof that the SDF's
participation in peace-keeping operations is unconstitutional.

The Koizumi Cabinet, backed by the LDP and the Komei Party, nonetheless
began calling for restrictions on the use of weapons to be revised to meet
the international standards. What they really want is to remove restrictions
on the use of weapons from the current Five Principles, so that SDF
personnel will be allowed to counter armed attacks on the PKO personnel of
other countries operating alongside with JSDF units.

If the Five Principles are dismantled and the PKO Cooperation Law is
adversely revised, it will allow the SDF to be thrown into any regional
conflict anywhere in the world, use force together with other countries'
military forces, and help the SDF to take part in multilateral forces,
including the U.S. Forces.

Article 9 of the Constitution does not allow the government to lift the
"freeze" on the ban of Japan's participation in a U.N. peace-keeping force
and to change the Five Principles.

Calling on Japan to use the right of collective self-defense, the U.S.
National Defense University report by a study team led by Richard L.
Armitage, who later became deputy secretary of defense, and others urges
Japan to remove Japan's regulations on its participation in peace-keeping
operations on the grounds that the Japan-U.S. military alliance needs to be
upgraded to a level like the one between the United States and Britain.

Such an open call reminds us of the true aim of revising the PKO
Cooperation Law; a scheme to get SDF units to take part in U.S. wars
anywhere as Japan's obligation under the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty.

The "law to send the Self-Defense Forces abroad to take part in the U.S.
retaliatory war" (SDF units dispatch law) calls for "countermeasures to be
taken against terrorism," with a specified duration of two years.

But, the PKO Cooperation Law, if revised, will allow the SDF to be sent
to any region of conflict any time, under 'U.N. authority' pretext.

Following the enactment of the unconstitutional SDF dispatch bill that
took advantage of the terrorist attacks, the Koizumi Cabinet and the ruling
parties are further attempting to cross the Rubicon under a revised PKO
Cooperation Law.

Seek a path of peace the Constitution shows

Japan has many peaceful ways of contributing to the world instead of
using SDF units in conflict regions in defiance of the Constitution.

Middle Eastern and Asian countries are expecting Japan to contribute to
the world as a country with the Peace Constitution's Article 9.

Neither refugee relief activities nor medical assistance as part of PKO
cooperation needs help from the SDF.

The government must immediately abandon any plan that would infringe on
the Constitution under the pretext of the need for "antiterrorism efforts"
or "contribution to U.N. peace-keeping operations." (end)