JCP: Stop building up military support for U.S. forces which may attack Iraq

As a build-up of Japan's military support for the U.S. forces in the retaliatory war against Afghanistan, three Maritime Defense Force ships left for the Indian ocean to replace their predecessors sent in November 2001.

Japanese Communist Party House of Representatives member Akamine Seiken on February 15 demanded that the government stop such a build-up for military support in the light of changing circumstances with Afghanistan moving toward rehabilitation.

Alleging that the threat of terror is not gone, Defense Agency Director General Nakatani Gen stated that sending the Self-Defense Forces should go on.

At the Lower House Budget Committee meeting, the JCP lawmaker further demanded that the plan for constructing anti-terror combat training facilities at a U.S. Marines base in northern Okinawa be canceled.

Foreign Minister Kawaguchi Yoriko replied that the Foreign Ministry is waiting for U.S. references on details. Akamine denounced the foreign ministry for not knowing about the details even at this late stage. (end)