 JCP Ogata urges government to request the U.S. to cancel its dangerous nuclear policy In the May 20 House of Councilors Budget Committee meeting, Japanese Communist Party member Ogata Yasuo demanded that the government, which represents the only atomic-bombed country, urge the U.S. to cancel its plans to include non-nuclear weapons states as targets in preemptive nuclear attacks. He was referring to the 2nd final coordination of the Doctrine for Joint Nuclear Operation. Issued on March 15, it proposes eight cases in which regional commanders may request presidential approval to conduct nuclear attack, including "to counter potentially overwhelming adversary conventional forces." Ogata said that the new doctrine shows the U.S. is abandoning its policy of excluding non-nuclear states as targets. He stressed that the Japanese government must not approve such a policy change. Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro said, "Although it's preferable to abolish nuclear weapons, armaments are designed mainly as a deterrent," thus using the argument of nuclear deterrence as an excuse to support the U.S. nuclear policy. - Akahata, May 21, 2005 |