Japan's version of NSC to be 'control tower' to fight wars abroad

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Japan's version of NSC to be 'control tower' to fight wars abroad
Akahata editorial (excerpts)

A government panel on the strengthening of national security functions of the Prime Minister's Official Residence on February 27 submitted its final report to Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, calling for an establishment of a "National Security Council".

The proposed council made up of the prime minister, the chief cabinet secretary, the foreign minister, and the defense minister that is to consider important diplomatic and security questions is modeled after the U.S. National Security Council.

As acknowledged by the panel report, the Japanese version of the NSC will play the role of "control tower" to pursue "the U.S.-Japan global alliance" strategy under the guide of the prime minister.

The current Security Council of Japan, a body that discusses national defense issues, does not presuppose the dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces to take part in U.S. preemptive wars such as in Iraq and Afghanistan, which has nothing to do with the defense of Japan.

Therefore, Prime Minister Abe intends to set up the new council in order to expand Japan's diplomatic and military roles in the world to meet U.S. demands. The heart of this plan lies in dispatching the SDF abroad.

Abe said Japan's version of the NSC will be a window of the prime minister's office with direct links with the White House. By conducting direct talks, he aims at quickly realizing U.S. plans and setting out policies to meet U.S. expectations under the disguise of implementing Japan's own initiative.

The establishment of the proposed council will inevitably deepen Japan's subordination to the U.S.

Prime Minister Abe hinted that the new council will promote endorsing the exercise of the right of collective self-defense by changing constitutional interpretations. This poses a grave problem since it has been the government view that exercise of the right of collective self-defense violates the Constitution.

Setting up of the Japanese version of the National Security Council totally goes against the peace principle of the Constitution, and must not be allowed.
- Akahata, March 1, 2007