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2015 July 22 - 28 [POLITICS]

2015 Defense White Paper reads like gov’t PR pamphlet

The Abe Cabinet on July 21 approved its 2015 white paper on defense. The government annual report is supposed to provide to the general public basic information about defense policies, but this year’s report seems more akin to a PR pamphlet of the government.

The white paper devotes 10 pages to give details about the war bills which are now being severely criticized as unconstitutional. On the other hand, the report uses only five pages to describe the existing security legislation. With this white paper, the government is apparently trying to convey the impression that the war bills will be enacted.

Regarding the controversial plan to construct a new U.S. base in Nago’s Henoko district in Okinawa Prefecture, the white paper stresses that that is the only workable plan to avoid the continuous use of the U.S. Futenma base which is located in the middle of a densely populated area of Ginowan City in the prefecture. The white paper pays no attention to local opposition to the Henoko base, disregarding the fact that all the anti-base candidates won in a series of recent elections in Okinawa, including the gubernatorial election in November 2014 and the House of Representatives election a month later.

During his visit to the U.S. in April, Prime Minister Abe Shinzo promised to enact the war legislation and to construct a new U.S. base in Henoko. The annual defense report reflects the stance of PM Abe who is eager to keep his pledges to the U.S., while ignoring the mounting public opposition nationwide to both the war bills and the Henoko facility.


Past related articles:
> 2014 Defense White Paper highlights the collective self-defense right [August 7, 2014]
> Defense White Paper endorses Osprey deployment and new US base in Okinawa [July 10, 2013]