Contingency bills rammed through Lower House

With just a token debate, the ruling Liberal Democratic and Komei parties helped by the opposition Democratic Party on May 20 railroaded the seven contingency-related bills and their joint amendment through the House of Representatives special committee and plenary session.

The Japanese Communist and Social Democratic parties voted against.

The bills are aimed at mobilizing not only the Self-Defense Forces but also local autonomies, private corporations, and the public for U.S. wars overseas.

JCP representative Shiokawa Tetsuya took the rostrum and stated, "The bills completely renege on the pacifist constitutional principles. They are designed to remake Japan into a 'war-capable nation' working hand in hand with the U.S."

Shiokawa warned that the Koizumi coalition government is enacting these bills while supporting the Iraq War by sending the SDF to Iraq to join the occupation forces. "Their aim is to establish and develop the sort of military setup needed to support the U.S. forces," he stressed.

Some bills will allow the SDF to directly provide the U.S. forces with munitions and give them priority to use air and sea civilian ports in Japan. "The U.S. forces may demand unlimited support from Japan under the bills," he said.

Shiokawa stated that the three-party amendment regards major natural disasters as an 'emergency' as part of matters in response to possible attacks on Japan. The JCP lawmaker said, "War, different from natural disasters, can be prevented. Japan in the 21st century should not break the war-renouncing Article 9, but try to make use of this article as a basis for its international policies."

About 150 citizens assembled in the Diet Building to protest the arbitrary passage. Kokuta Keiji, JCP Diet Policy Committee chair, called for a stronger movement to foil the bills in the House of Councilors. (end)