Japan Press Weekly

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2011 February 2 - 8 [POLITICS]

Business circles call for constitutional revision

The Japan Association of Corporate Executives (Keizai Doyukai) has called on the government to amend the Constitution to exercise the right of collective self-defense, lift the ban on arms exports, and promote Japan’s entry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free-trade pact.

These are proposed in a “proactive comprehensive foreign policy strategy boosting Japanese national power” released by the Keizai Doyukai on February 3. It reaffirms that the Kan Cabinet’s promotion of revising the three principles banning arms exports and Japan’s participation in the TPP reflects business community’s demands.

The “strategy” defines the Japan-U.S. alliance as an “international public good.” It stresses that the present interpretation of the Constitution which denies exercising the right of collective self-defense “harms the effectiveness of the Japan-U.S. alliance in case of an emergency.” In addition, it insists that the enactment of a permanent law for the “more effective and faster” overseas deployment of the Self-Defense Forces is needed.

As to the three principles banning arms exports, it advocates their “flexible operation” and encourages the government to allow Japan’s participation in joint R&D projects and a joint production system of military arms and equipment with foreign countries. It suggests that the transfer of missile defense technology to a third country should be approved.

It also states, “We need to discuss about how Japan’s entry into the TPP enhances the national interest and what Japan could contribute to the framework of the TPP.”