JCP Shii: Stop dispatching SDF for assisting in war of aggression and occupation

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo used his speech in the House of Representatives Plenary Session on January 22 to urge the government to stop dispatching the Self-Defense Forces to Iraq, making the following four points:

First, it was wrong that the Iraq War was started based on the allegations that Iraq maintained weapons of mass destruction because no evidence for the claim has been presented.

Second, as a December 2003 report of the U.N. Security Council anti-terror committee pointed out, the U.S.-British war on Iraq and their military occupation of Iraq are the fundamental cause of terror and violence prevailing in that country and that occupation has nothing to do with humanitarian assistance.

Third, given the Coalition Provisional Authority's letter stating that Japanese Self-Defense Force personnel will be treated as "Coalition Personnel", SDF activities in Iraq may be in violation of Article 9 (Section 2) of the Constitution which prohibits Japan from exercising the right of belligerency. (For story on the CPA letter, see separate item.)

Fourth, Prime Minister Koizumi wrongly sought to justify the SDF dispatch to Iraq as a mission to "fulfill the responsibility of a member of the international community". Only 5 of the 15 UNSC member countries have sent troops to Iraq and the majority of countries, including non-aligned countries and Arab and Islamic countries as well as France, Russia, Germany, and China, are refusing to do so.

In conclusion, Shii said, "How harmful and stupid it is for Japan to be so subservient to the United states as to send the SDF to Iraq.

Later in the day, Shii said to the press, "We will continue to argue that the SDF's participation in the occupation of Iraq is a major violation of the Constitution which bans Japan from exercising the right of belligerency." (end)