June 10, 2014
Prime Minister Abe, while denying his intention to enable the Japanese Self-Defense Forces to use their weapons abroad, seeks to have them engage in mine sweeping operations which the government itself recognizes as a use of military power, Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Inoue Satoshi pointed out.
Inoue on June 9 at a meeting of the House of Councilors Audit Committee took up the issue of lifting the ban on Japan’s exercise of the right to collective self-defense. The JCP lawmaker said that as one of the SDF activities to be legalized, the government cited an activity to remove sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz in Iran.
Asked by Inoue about the conventional view regarding the activity, Cabinet Legislation Bureau Director General Yokobatake Yusuke replied that to clear away mines is “regarded as a use of military power”.
On the other hand, PM Abe said the ruling parties are considering excluding mine disposal operations from the definition of the use of military force as it is different from conducting air strikes and attacking enemy bases.
Inoue said that even if the government insists the mine clearing operation is not an act of combat, it will invite attacks from the country which laid the mines, and that Japan could enter into a war.
“Japan will lose the trust from Middle East countries, which we gained thanks to the pacifist Constitution,” Inoue stressed.
Inoue on June 9 at a meeting of the House of Councilors Audit Committee took up the issue of lifting the ban on Japan’s exercise of the right to collective self-defense. The JCP lawmaker said that as one of the SDF activities to be legalized, the government cited an activity to remove sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz in Iran.
Asked by Inoue about the conventional view regarding the activity, Cabinet Legislation Bureau Director General Yokobatake Yusuke replied that to clear away mines is “regarded as a use of military power”.
On the other hand, PM Abe said the ruling parties are considering excluding mine disposal operations from the definition of the use of military force as it is different from conducting air strikes and attacking enemy bases.
Inoue said that even if the government insists the mine clearing operation is not an act of combat, it will invite attacks from the country which laid the mines, and that Japan could enter into a war.
“Japan will lose the trust from Middle East countries, which we gained thanks to the pacifist Constitution,” Inoue stressed.
