Japan's civil airlines may be mobilized in U.S. war cooperation

The government is considering forcing commercial airlines into war cooperation with the U.S. forces in the event of "national emergencies", although it has given no details.

In answer to Japanese Communist Party representative Kodama Kenji at a Lower House committee meeting on May 13, Defense Agency Director-General Ishiba Shigeru admitted that the agency seeks to include Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, and Japan Air Systems in the list of "designated public facilities" subject to compulsory mobilization under the contingency law.

JCP Kodama criticized the government for scrambling to pass through the wartime bills without presenting any details on how Japan would cooperate in U.S. wars.

The defense chief mentioned that he had already requested the three major airlines to apply for a Pentagon-issued license in order to transport U.S. personnel, weapons, and ammunition.

Asked by Kodama, "Will the civil airlines have to transport U.S. military supplies to third countries under the wartime law?", Ishiba said, "That's what we will begin to examine." (end)