Japan Press Weekly

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2023 April 5 - 11 [SDF]

SDF-Australia-UK troops may use bases in Japan for joint military exercises

Japanese Self-Defense Forces, Australian troops, and British forces may conduct joint
military exercises in each country.

A bill to implement a tripartite agreement on status of forces during mutual visits was passed through a House of Representatives Security Committee meeting on April 7 by the majority vote of ruling parties. The Japanese Communist Party voted against the bill.

JCP representative Akamine Seiken noted that the 2015 national security-related legislation, dubbed war laws, allows the SDF to provide military support not only to U.S. forces but also to third-nation troops. Akamine stated, "The tripartite agreement under discussion will give concrete shape to the unconstitutional security legislation."

He asked where the Japan-Australia-UK joint exercises will be held. Masuda Kazuo, director general of the Defense Ministry Defense Policy Bureau, answered that SDF and U.S. training fields, airports, and seaports in addition to their bases are on the list of training locations.

Akamine said, "The Japanese government should address the alleviation of base burdens on local residents living in the vicinity of the bases. In spite of that, it is moving toward increasing the burdens by allowing third-party troops to use the bases in Japan."