SDF deployment abroad goes against international efforts for peace -- Akahata editorial, Nov. 28

Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro in a speech at a ceremony at the National Defense Academy said that the Self-Defense Forces have a role to play in maintaining the peace and stability of the international community as well as defending the nation, specifically underlining how important it has been for the SDF to participate in the United Nations peace-keeping operations in East Timor and in activities with the U.S. forces in the Indian Ocean.

This is not the first time the prime minister referred to the need for the SDF to play a greater role abroad.

He used his speech at an Air SDF inspection parade in October to state that the SDF has an important role to play in the present-day tumultuous international situation. He cited re-fueling, airlifts, anti-terrorism activities, and peace-keeping operations (PKO) as activities the SDF should be involved in.

SDF activities in support of U.S. forces

Japanese SDF units were sent to take part in the U.N. peace-keeping operations in East Timor for the first time since the International Peace Cooperation Law (PKO Law) was adversely revised to enable the SDF to take part in U.N. peace-keeping forces (PKF) that use force. Asian countries are alarmed at the SDF's biggest ever overseas deployment since WWII, said Singapore's newspaper Lianhe Zaobao.

The government has again extended the SDF deployment in the Indian Ocean and broadened the scope of its assistance to the U.S. forces by sending transport ships to provide military supplies.

The SDF is engaged in transporting U.S. military material inside and outside Japan as well as in re-fueling operations for the U.S. forces in the retaliatory war. These activities are being carried out in the name of "preventing and eliminating terrorism" under the Anti-terrorism Special Measures Law. Keep in mind that no oil or any other military supplies are marked "for use against terrorists," or "for use against Iraq."

The SDF Law stipulates that the SDF's task is to defend the peace and independence, and maintain the security of the nation.

The government violates the SDF Law by expanding the obligation to include the "maintenance of the peace and stability of the international community."

Asked in the Diet about the SDF PR magazine reporting combat exercises by SDF personnel wearing U.S. camouflage fatigues for desert warfare, the Defense Agency director general said, "I'm sorry, but I can't say whether the SDF is making preparations to go to Iraq."

It was of course impossible for him to admit that the SDF are carrying out exercises on the assumption that they would take part in activities in a desert which doesn't exist in Japan, because the SDF law stipulates that the objective of the SDF activity is to maintain Japan's peace and independence and defend Japan.

To have the SDF play an expanded role as a military force outside Japan would be a serious matter, particularly at a time when the U.S. Bush administration has declared its preemptive strike strategy and its plan to attack Iraq has caused great repercussions in the international community.

UNSC resolution 1441 denies any automaticity for an armed attack on Iraq and will allow the UNSC to decide on the next steps in dealing with possible Iraqi violations of the resolution concerning U.N. inspections of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.

Based on this UNSC resolution, inspections have begun in Iraq. The international community is making strenuous efforts to prevent a war and solve the problem peacefully within the U.N. framework.

Meanwhile, Japan is planning to deploy SDF units to overseas regions of conflict and combat zones and to extend the period and expand the scope of the SDF's support for the U.S. Forces. This goes against the international efforts for peace.

Japan should play a role for peaceful solution

Japan has a constitution prohibiting the threat or use of force, based on reflection on its past war of aggression.

This is why we strongly state that Japan cannot give a helping hand to U.S. outrageous actions that run counter to international efforts for peace.

The task is for Japan to take the initiative in solving international disputes not by force but by peaceful means.

This is exactly what the world's people are expecting Japan to do. (end)