Don't use civil airlines for troops transport

Japanese Communist Party representative Koizumi Chikashi at a House of Councilors committee meeting on April 5 demanded that the Defense Agency not seek to use civil airlines for military purposes.

Referring the recent rejection by Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) of the Defense Agency's request for a transport of Self-Defense Forces' personnel to Iraq last October, the JCP representative said that the agency should no longer ask for their military cooperation.

DA Chief Ishiba Shigeru in reply said, "I don't think that the agency will use them for military purposes but may request some cooperation when needed."

JAL has already made clear that it will stick with the safety-first principle instead of trying to fulfill the task it may be forced to carry as one of "designated public facilities" under the wartime-related laws.

The Scheduled Airlines Association of Japan has set three principles concerning the request from the government in the event of an emergency: the government's request should not violate the aviation law; aviation safety should be ensured; and the government's request should not be regarded as the exercise of force or an enemy of countries concerned. (end)