September 3, 2010
“I want us to pursue an approach under which the Japanese people hold thorough discussions among themselves and, based on the outcome, deepen the Japan-US alliance as well as contribute to the well-being of the Asia-Pacific region in a way that a large proportion of the Japanese people can readily accept.” This is the remark Prime Minister Kan Naoto made at a press conference on June 27 following the Toronto G20 Summit.
International contributions as rhetoric
There is an assertion that the U.S. presence in Japan serves as a deterrent to threats from Northeast Asia, but this cannot clearly explain the need of a global-scale Japan-U.S. alliance. The government, therefore, repeatedly uses the rhetorical term, “international contribution”. It has sent the Self-Defense Forces to Iraq under the guise of “international peace cooperation”.
Now that the “war against global terrorism” has been shown to be ineffective, the government has put forward the idea of “humanitarian reconstruction assistance” and “disaster relief.” In August, for example, following the U.S. forces, the Defense Ministry dispatched six SDF helicopters and 200 SDF troops to Pakistan to give assistance to flood victims there.
In quake-hit Haiti, the Japanese SDF operated reconstruction assistance jointly with the U.S. forces. Wallace C. Gregson, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asia and Pacific Security Affairs, was specifying an objective of Japan-U.S. joint operations by saying that he wants to create a permanent mechanism for Japan and the U.S. to work together in disaster relief efforts (seminar in Tokyo, Feb.1).
The use of military organizations to provide assistance can be an option in case of an emergency. However, neither the U.S. nor the Japanese forces are equipped with rescue equipment and provisions best suited for disaster relief. Military Journalist Maeda Tetsuo pointed out, “When a disaster occurs, the SDF will operate as an international emergency aid unit. If that is the case, why not create a unit specialized in emergency rescue from the beginning?”
Supposedly neutral
In the meantime, humanitarian assistance by a military alliance has been full of contradictions. Typical of this is the joint military-civilian humanitarian aid mission in Afghanistan, the so-called Provisional Reconstruction Team (PRT).
Despite calling itself a military-civilian team, it in essence is a military operation. “U.S. forces in the PRT are frequently conducting missile-launching exercises and causing severe injuries to residents,” testified Taniyama Hiroshi, president of the Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC). He went on to say, “Humanitarian assistance in the disputed area should stick to the principle of neutrality. However, in areas like Iraq and Afghanistan where war and humanitarian reconstruction aid are taking place side by side, a military presence will undermine neutrality in humanitarian support and we will be targeted for attacks by armed groups.”
The U.S. Forces paper Stars and Stripes reports that units assigned to the U.S. Yokota air base in Tokyo are participating in the PRT in Afghanistan. A Yokota AB watcher says, “Half of Yokota’s C-130 transport aircraft are now on missions in Afghanistan.”
It is said that the Japan-U.S. alliance and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are intending to increase their activities in disaster relief and humanitarian assistance on the grounds that they seek to ensure their influence in the international community as well as to demonstrate a justification to maintain massive military capabilities in the wake of the collapse of the former Soviet Union.
In Afghanistan, humanitarian reconstruction aid is being used as a cover to militarily penetrate further into the region. Relief operations should not be used to prolong military operations or make use of military alliances.
(To be continued)
- Akahata, September 3, 2010
International contributions as rhetoric
There is an assertion that the U.S. presence in Japan serves as a deterrent to threats from Northeast Asia, but this cannot clearly explain the need of a global-scale Japan-U.S. alliance. The government, therefore, repeatedly uses the rhetorical term, “international contribution”. It has sent the Self-Defense Forces to Iraq under the guise of “international peace cooperation”.
Now that the “war against global terrorism” has been shown to be ineffective, the government has put forward the idea of “humanitarian reconstruction assistance” and “disaster relief.” In August, for example, following the U.S. forces, the Defense Ministry dispatched six SDF helicopters and 200 SDF troops to Pakistan to give assistance to flood victims there.
In quake-hit Haiti, the Japanese SDF operated reconstruction assistance jointly with the U.S. forces. Wallace C. Gregson, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asia and Pacific Security Affairs, was specifying an objective of Japan-U.S. joint operations by saying that he wants to create a permanent mechanism for Japan and the U.S. to work together in disaster relief efforts (seminar in Tokyo, Feb.1).
The use of military organizations to provide assistance can be an option in case of an emergency. However, neither the U.S. nor the Japanese forces are equipped with rescue equipment and provisions best suited for disaster relief. Military Journalist Maeda Tetsuo pointed out, “When a disaster occurs, the SDF will operate as an international emergency aid unit. If that is the case, why not create a unit specialized in emergency rescue from the beginning?”
Supposedly neutral
In the meantime, humanitarian assistance by a military alliance has been full of contradictions. Typical of this is the joint military-civilian humanitarian aid mission in Afghanistan, the so-called Provisional Reconstruction Team (PRT).
Despite calling itself a military-civilian team, it in essence is a military operation. “U.S. forces in the PRT are frequently conducting missile-launching exercises and causing severe injuries to residents,” testified Taniyama Hiroshi, president of the Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC). He went on to say, “Humanitarian assistance in the disputed area should stick to the principle of neutrality. However, in areas like Iraq and Afghanistan where war and humanitarian reconstruction aid are taking place side by side, a military presence will undermine neutrality in humanitarian support and we will be targeted for attacks by armed groups.”
The U.S. Forces paper Stars and Stripes reports that units assigned to the U.S. Yokota air base in Tokyo are participating in the PRT in Afghanistan. A Yokota AB watcher says, “Half of Yokota’s C-130 transport aircraft are now on missions in Afghanistan.”
It is said that the Japan-U.S. alliance and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are intending to increase their activities in disaster relief and humanitarian assistance on the grounds that they seek to ensure their influence in the international community as well as to demonstrate a justification to maintain massive military capabilities in the wake of the collapse of the former Soviet Union.
In Afghanistan, humanitarian reconstruction aid is being used as a cover to militarily penetrate further into the region. Relief operations should not be used to prolong military operations or make use of military alliances.
(To be continued)
- Akahata, September 3, 2010
