 JCP Secretariat Head Ichida criticizes '2-plus-2' talks Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi on February 21 held a news conference in the Diet Building to comment on the "joint strategic objectives" or basic principles of a future Japan-U.S. alliance as well as U.S. forces realignment, which was announced in the Japan-U.S. Security Consultative Committee (two plus two) talks held on the previous day in Washington D.C. The "joint strategic objectives" confirm the "vital roles" of the Japan-U.S. alliance and calls for the Japan-U.S. security partnership to be expanded and reinforced on a global scale in order to deal with various events in the Asia Pacific region. In this regard, Ichida emphasized, "This joint statement expresses an intention that Japan's Self-Defense Forces together with U.S. forces will militarily intervene anywhere they please in the world in line with the U.S. preemptive attack strategy." Pointing out that the command of the U.S. military bases in Japan is already being enhanced as part of the U.S. forces realignment, Ichida said, "The joint statement gives an impulse to this functional enhancement. With an eye to Japan-U.S. joint military operations abroad, both countries will more powerfully argue for a joint use of bases as well as an integration of exercises and operations." He expressed his determination to work hard to remove U.S. military bases from Japan and abolish the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, which drags Japan onto a dangerous path. (end) |