JCP: stop extending MSDF dispatch to Indian Ocean

A Japanese Communist Party member in parliament demanded on November 19 that the government stop extending the deployment of Maritime Self-Defense Force warships to the Indian Ocean, which the cabinet approved earlier in the day.

JCP Akamine Seiken in the House of Representatives Special Committee on National Security meeting stated that the government decision violates even the Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law.

Pointing out that a new MSDF mission in the Indian Ocean is to transport heavy equipment for constructing U.S. forces airfields in Afghanistan, Akamine asked the government to explain why such construction is needed now. He said that for the SDF to support such operations goes beyond the provisions of the special measures law.

Defense Agency officials failed to give a detailed answer, just saying that the war against terrorism in Afghanistan is not over.

Akamine demanded that the government stop extending and escalating SDF units' support for U.S. forces because it completely runs counter to the Constitution.

In protest against the government decision of prolonging SDF deployment to the Indian Ocean, the following organizations sent messages to the Japanese government on November 19: the New Japan Women's Association, the National Confederation of Trade Unions (Zenroren), and the Central Action Committee for Abrogation of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty. (end)