New ACSA will allow supply of munitions for U.S. forces: JCP lawmaker

In the House of Councilors Budget Committee meeting on March 10 Japanese Communist Party representative Koizumi Chikashi pointed out that if the Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA) is amended, the Self-Defense Forces will be allowed to supply U.S. forces with munitions in the event of "situations in areas surrounding Japan" arising. The government has so far regarded munitions supply as unconstitutional.

The amended Japan-U.S. ACSA, which was originally designed to ensure mutual supply of material and services, will allow the SDF to supply munitions with its counterpart in "situations when attacks on Japan are predicted", that is, in situations in which no attack is yet taking place on Japan.

However, in the previous ordinary Diet session, the government acknowledged that "situations in areas surrounding Japan" and "situations when attacks on Japan are predicted" can take place simultaneously.

JCP Koizumi stated, "This eventually means that if Japan is allowed to supply the USF with munitions in 'situations when attacks on Japan are predicted', the same thing could happen in 'situations in areas surrounding Japan'."

Now that "situations in areas surrounding Japan" means Japan's participation in U.S.-led wars in the Asia-Pacific region, Japan's munitions support for the USF will conflict with the Constitution which bans the right to collective self-defense, Koizumi said.

"How can you distinguish 'situations in areas surrounding Japan' from 'situations when attacks on Japan are predicted'?" he asked.

The state minister in charge of the contingency legislation failed to show any proof for the distinction, only repeating that the Japan-U.S. Bilateral Coordination Mechanism, a task force under the 1997 new Guidelines for Japan-U.S. Defense Cooperation, will deal with the matter.

The Cabinet Legislative Bureau director general advocated that Japan-U.S. cooperation in "situations when attacks on Japan are predicted" is not unconstitutional, and maintained that the revised ACSA will not allow Japan to supply the USF with munitions in the case of 'situations in areas surrounding Japan'.

Criticizing its double standard for avoiding making a judgment on constitutionality, JCP Koizumi urged the government to not bother to establish a new mechanism of munitions supply. (end)