July 14, 2023

Akahata editorial (gist)

NATO, in its summit meeting held on July 11 and 12 in Vilnius in Lithuania, decided to strengthen its military support for Ukraine. Japan’s Prime Minister Kishida Fumio participated in the NATO Summit for the second consecutive year.

In this year’s NATO Summit, G7 leaders published a joint statement declaring the establishment of a framework providing military support to Ukraine over a long period. The statement specifies that G7 countries will join this framework in accordance with each nation’s constitutional requirements. However, as a nation having the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution, it is unacceptable for Japan to take part in the framework.

In addition, PM Kishida in the meeting announced his decision to offer a drone detection system to Ukraine, which goes against Japan’s constitutional principle of pacifism. Regarding support for Ukraine, Japan should focus on humanitarian and recovery assistance, not military support.