Japan Press Weekly

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2014 April 9 - 15 [POLITICS]

Don’t include military-related aid in ODA program

Akahata editorial (excerpt)

Sixty years have passed since the Japanese government started the Official Development Assistance (ODA) program which provides developing countries with funds and technology. On this occasion, the Abe administration plans to revise its long-term policy for ODA, the ODA Charter, for the first time in 11 years. An expert panel on revision of the Charter has been set up under Foreign Minister Kishida Fumio, which aims to compile a report by the end of June. The government seeks to include military-related assistance in the ODA program through the revision. This could lead to public concerns.

The ODA Charter, which was established in 1992 and revised in 2003, has in principle abandoned using ODA for military purposes and for involvement in international disputes. The Charter actually bans the supply of ODA-related goods to recipient countries’ military forces, and military use of roads and airports constructed with Japan’s official assistance. Training of military personnel is excluded from the human resource development program under ODA.

Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Kihara Seiji at a meeting of the expert panel announced that the government is considering expanding the scope of ODA to military-related assistance. He also indicated the possibility of permitting assistance for soldiers.

The Abe government in December last year issued the National Security Strategy. Under the pretext of “promoting international cooperation for peace”, the strategy declares an intention for the aggressive participation of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces in UN peace keeping operations and “seamless support” in national security-related fields including the strategic use of ODA.

Based on this strategy, the Abe Cabinet already abolished the Three Principles banning Japan’s arms exports. Furthermore, Prime Minister Abe is working to legalize the exercise of the right to collective self-defense under the banner of proactive pacifism as stated in the National Security Strategy. In accordance with these moves, Abe also seeks to widen the scope of ODA to include military-related aid.

Military-related assistance under ODA in violation of the Japanese Constitution is unacceptable as it undermines the international trust that Japan gained in the post-WWII era.