SDF must stop using commercial planes for exercises

In a request to the Defense Agency, three trade union organizations have jointly demanded that the Self-Defense Forces stop using civil aircraft in the annual Northern Operational Exercises held chiefly in Hokkaido.

The exercises started on June 30 will last until July 31. Since 1999, the SDF have used civil airlines to transport SDF troops from Japan's mainland to Hokkaido.

This time, about 80 SDF personnel in combat fatigues will use the Niigata (Niigata)- and Haneda (Tokyo)-Hokkaido routes of Japan Airlines, Japan Air System, and All Nippon Airways.

The three organizations are the Liaison Council to Promote Aviation Safety, the Liaison Council of Civil Aviation Workers' Unions, and the Japan Federation of Flight Crew Unions.

In their representations to DA Director General Nakatani Gen, they pointed out that transporting SDF personnel in combat fatigues violates the International Convention on Civil Aviation which bans military use of private airlines.

A similar demand was made by the Japan Federation of Women's Organizations (Fudanren) and the Women Association of Hokkaido for Peace.

Fudanren's letter emphasized that using civil airlines as part of military exercises will actually mean giving concrete shape to the contingency bills which are now being discussed in the Diet. Such an attempt means jamming citizens' daily life and military exercises in one plane, and allowing the government to undertake war preparations on a daily basis even at peace time, they said. (end)