Municipalities called upon to cooperate with SDF

   Akahata has learned that the Ground Self-Defense Force Eastern Army Headquarters last year invited local government officials in charge of disaster prevention countermeasures as well as fire department officials to its drill to deal with an attack by a ballistic missile armed with chemical warheads.

   The drill took place on November 10 at the GSDF Asaka Garrison located in Tokyo’s Nerima Ward and Saitama Prefecture’s Asaka, Niiza, and Wako cities.

   In the drill, GSDF personnel wearing gas masks conducted exercises to collect information, detect chemical substances, and rescue victims.

   The GSDF’s invitation letters were sent to concerned departments and sections of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the prefectural governments of Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Officials of the Metropolitan and Saitama Prefectural governments as well as fire departments of cities in Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures observed the drill and later exchanged opinions with the SDF.

   Commenting on the drill, Nerima Peace Committee Secretary General Sakamoto Shigeru said, “I am afraid that the move to involve municipalities in the SDF activities is being strengthened. We must keep a close eye on such moves.”
- Akahata, February 2, 2008