Attack on SDF warship in the Indian Ocean may allow wartime laws to be invoked

Defense Agency Director General Nakatani Gen has said that the contingency bills, if enacted, will be invoked if Self-Defense Forces' ships deployed in the Indian Ocean are attacked during their support activity for the U.S. forces, regarding such attacks as so-called "situations in areas surrounding Japan."

Asked by Koizumi Chikashi of the Japanese Communist Party in the House of Councilors Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense meeting on April 23, Nakatani stated that a systematic and planned attack on SDF warships, which have been deployed in the Indian Ocean under the special anti-terrorism law, will be recognized as an armed attack on Japan.

Akahata of April 24 said that this is serious as the Defense Agency chief hinted that the contingency laws will be invoked in the event of attacks on SDF units when they are in operation based not only on the law for measures to deal with situations in areas surrounding Japan but also the Anti-terrorism Special Measures Law.

Nakatani also said that an attack on the SDF supporting U.S.military interventions in the Asia/Pacific region, which is called a "situation in areas surrounding Japan," will also be recognized as an armed attack on Japan.

Nakatani admitted that the objective of a joint operation plan which was agreed upon last September between the SDF and the U.S. Forces was to respond to an "emergency for the U.S. Forces" and an "emergency for Japan" as a package.

Nakatani's statement has made clear, JCP Koizumi said, that Japan's cooperation in U.S. wars will lead to invocation of the contingency laws. (end)