Shii to Koizumi: Constitution does not allow SDF to participate in MNF

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo used a meeting between Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro and three opposition party leaders on June 17 to urge the government to immediately withdraw the SDF from Iraq, pointing out that SDF participation in the multinational force is unconstitutional.

The meeting was set to discuss the government plan to continue to deploy Japanese Self-Defense Forces in Iraq as part of the multinational force. It was attended also by Democratic Party of Japan President Okada Katsuya and Social Democratic Party Chair Fukushima Mizuho.

Shii pointed out that the SDF has never taken part in any of the multinational forces established by United Nations resolutions because the government regarded participation that involves the use of force as unconstitutional. The JCP chair said that the latest government plan to have the SDF take part in the multinational force in Iraq is inexplicable under the stated government view.

Concerning the "basic concept" which the government submitted to the Diet on the multinational force in Iraq, Shii argued against the government justification for the following two reasons: (1) The government says that the SDF will not come under the command of the multinational force but this conflicts with UNSC Resolution 1546 stating that national forces participating in the multinational force will be under "unified command" and (2) U.S. Presidential Press Secretary Scott McClellan at a news conference said, "The Multinational force overall is overseen by the American command."

Concerning the government explanation that Japan reached agreement with the U.S. and British governments to the effect that the Japanese SDF will not operate under U.S. military command, Shii asked the prime minister to identify the persons who represented the two governments in giving that understanding and explain how and on what terms they gave such an understanding. He also asked Koizumi, "Will the SDF be a member of the multinational force or not?"

Prime Minister Koizumi stated that the SDF will participate in the multinational force but he was unable to give details of the "understanding" with the U.S. government. Responding in his place, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hosoda Hiroyuki said that it was an oral understanding with a certain representative.

The exchange on this issue has revealed that the prime minister promised SDF participation in the multinational force without knowing the U.S. position concerning command.

Shii said to the prime minister that the response is far from convincing and demanded that the government make public in writing the contents of the "understanding." The prime minister promised Shii to comply with his request.

Shii commented on Koizumi's statement as a serious step forward to push ahead with the unconstitutional deployment of the SDF abroad. He said, "The JCP does not agree to the SDF participation in the multinational force. We demand an immediate withdrawal of the SDF from Iraq. Such a serious issue as this must be thoroughly discussed in the Diet." (end)