Japan Press Weekly

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2017 April 19 - 25 [POLITICS]

Japan’s naval drill with US is unconstitutional ‘threat of force’ against North Korea: JCP Miyamoto

Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Miyamoto Toru on April 24 in a Diet committee meeting said that as the U.S. Trump administration hints at possible military action against North Korea, the launch of a joint military exercise by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the U.S. military violates the Japanese Constitution banning the threat of force.

In the meeting of the House of Representatives Committee on Audit and Oversight of Administration, Miyamoto took up the joint navigation exercise that MSDF convoys and the U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Carl Vinson started in the Western Pacific on the previous day.

The JCP parliamentarian demanded that the government disclose details about the exercise, such as the purpose, the planned ending date, sea areas that the exercise plans to cover, and whether SDF vessels are tasked to defend U.S. vessels. Defense Minister Inada Tomomi in reply said that the joint training exercise is aimed at improving SDF strategic capabilities and enhancing cooperation with the U.S. military, but she refused to provide further information.

In response to Miyamoto’s inquiry about whether the exercise will take place in the Sea of Japan, a government official suggested that the training may be carried out in sea areas other than the current location of vessels.

Noting that details of the training are not disclosed to the general public and the Diet, Miyamoto stated that the exercise is highly problematic from the viewpoint of civilian control.

Miyamoto stressed that Article 9 of the Constitution stipulates that Japan renounces “the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes”. He said that the SDF’s joint training exercise with U.S. forces is tantamount to military intimidation of North Korea. The JCP lawmaker urged the government to pursue a resolution of the North Korea issue through diplomatic efforts.

Past related article:
> JCP delivers its statement on North Korea issue to nations concerned [ April 18, 2017]