April 6 & 8, 2023

Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Kami Tomoko on April 7 criticized the government’s new international cooperation framework, Official Security Assistance (OSA), for generating concern among the international community that Japan may shift away from its pacifist foreign policy.

The government’s National Security Council at its meeting two days earlier approved the OSA framework and its implementation guidelines. The establishment of this framework is part of measures to strengthen the military alliance in the region with a potential war against China in mind based on the National Security Strategy which was revised at the end of 2022. OSA will enable Japan to supply weapons and other equipment to the so-called “like-minded countries”.

At a meeting of the Upper House Special Committee on ODA and Related Matters as well as on Okinawa and the Northern Problems on April 7, Kami pointed out that Japan in its international cooperation maintains the non-military support principle in accordance with its stance as a pacifist nation. She said OSA will change Japan’s image as a pacifist nation to a pro-military nation.

Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa only said that the provision of OSA will be limited to areas which have nothing to do with international conflicts.

The JCP lawmaker stressed that Japan should stick to its non-military support policy.