Government sets out plan on wartime legislation

The Cabinet Secretariat is considering wartime legislation to enable wartime preparedness to be maintained even in the absence of outside attacks.

This is stated in a government document entitled, "On legal arrangements for dealing with contingencies," submitted to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party panel on Japan-U.S. security relations on January 22.

The basic concept laid down in the document marks a departure from the previous government view that legislation to deal with emergencies will be invoked in the event of an attack on Japan.

The new concept states that legal arrangements are necessary for allowing Japan to take appropriate measures against such incidents as unidentified ships or terrorist attacks.

This is the first government report explaining why wartime legislation is necessary.

The government document also emphasizes that wartime legislation is necessary for "making the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty system more credible." This suggests that the government presupposes Japan's participation in U.S. wars in Asia, which needs a national wartime setup to mobilize civilians and municipalities.

The report says that the details are still to be worked out concerning the definitions of emergencies that require legal arrangements, such as armed attacks on Japan, and the measures to be taken.

Measures proposed by the government are categorized into three parts: (1) matters to be dealt with by the Defense Agency; (2) matters to be dealt with by other government offices; and (3) matters which do not fall in the above two categories.

Referring to how the government has attained its work on the 'third criteria,' the report lists the following: (1) responses of related administrative agencies to preserving order, ordering evacuation, and instructing residents concerned; (2) 'designating' flight routes and sea areas involving government steps to control transporting of civilian ships and aircraft; (3) regulation of the use of radio waves; (4) treatment of captives and injured in accordance with the Geneva Conventions, etc. (end)