Retract plan to introduce missile defense system: JCP

On the Koizumi Cabinet's decision to introduce a ballistic missile defense system, Japanese Communist Party acting Policy Commission chair Sasaki Kensho on December 19 published a statement demanding that the decision be revoked. The text of the statement is as follows:

The Koizumi Cabinet on December 19 decided to introduce a ballistic missile defense (BMD) system. BMD, which is designed to neutralize enemy missile attacks, establish supremacy of U.S. nuclear strategy, and make the United States capable of preemptive attacks without fear of retaliation, is the dangerous centerpiece of the U.S. Bush administration's program for control of outer space. China and Russia are firmly opposed to it because the program will increase military tension in the world and escalate the arms race. Japan's participation in BMD will involve Japan in the U.S. nuclear strategy on a global scale and cause increased tension between Japan and other countries in Asia and the Pacific.

Introduction of the BMD system in Japan is conducive to the unconstitutional exercise of the right to collective self-defense because the system requires Japan's integration with the U.S. forces in unified communication, command, and intelligence as well as combined responses to missiles heading for the U.S. mainland, Guam, and Hawaii, which has nothing to do with the defense of Japan.

A BMD system will also oblige Japan to provide enormous sums of national expenditure for the procurement. A set of the launch system from the Aegis ship and Patriot missiles (PAC3) alone will tentatively cost 1 trillion yen. A trial calculation shows that 6 trillion yen in the future will be necessary to afford a "new generation missile defense" which is under joint Japan-U.S. technological development since 1998.

The JCP opposes the BMD strategy and demands that the government retract its decision on introducing it. (end)