Japan Press Weekly

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2015 September 16 - 29 [POLITICS]

War legislation could allow for a runaway defense ministry

In preparation for the implementation of the war laws, the realignment of the Defense Ministry which includes the establishment of a “defense equipment agency” is underway at the largest scale seen since the 2007 upgrading of the former Defense Agency into the current ministry, Akahata on September 28 reported.

The new agency will be established on October 1 with about 1,800 staff, including 400 officers of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. The agency will have centralized control over the research and development, procurement, supply, maintenance, and export of weapons which are currently dealt with separately within the Defense Ministry. The agency will also play a role in drawing up programs to nurture and expand the military industry and support the export of military equipment. The agency appears to be ready to be specialized in assisting in every way possible the “merchants of death” and is reminiscent of wartime Japan’s Ministry of Munitions.

The establishment of the “Defense Equipment Acquisition Agency” is designed to strengthen the framework of industry-academia-government cooperation in addition to promoting the weapons export.

Aiming to assist the creation of that strengthened framework, the Defense Ministry this fiscal year launched a funding program to encourage universities, private institutions, and companies to participate in military-related research. The ministry has received 109 applications for the program. Of them, 58 came from universities and private institutions.

A Kyoto University researcher sounded an alarm bell, saying, “In order to develop technologies for fighting wars, university-level research is necessary. Due to cuts in operating grants, government-funded universities are struggling to secure research funds and are applying to the Defense Ministry’s funding program.”

The revision of the Defense Ministry Establishment Law in June changed the power relations between uniformed SDF officers and non-uniformed personnel and opened the way for the ministry’s quick and direct response to demands from the SDF and even from the U.S. military.

Under the revised law, the authority to give orders to SDF troops will be concentrated in the SDF Joint Staff Office consisting of high-ranking SDF officers. As the revised law lacks rules regarding civilian control over the SDF, political influence of SDF’s top officers, including the JSO Chief, will be increased.

During the Diet deliberations on the war legislation, the Japanese Communist Party repeatedly revealed JSO internal documents. These documents indicated the fact that the JSO Chief is disregarding the Diet and the Constitution and already departing from the principle of civilian control. The ongoing realignment will accelerate such a move.

Past related articles:
> SDF top to Washington: War bills will be enacted by this summer [September 3, 2015]
> MOD admits it prepared for enactment of war bills which are still under Diet discussion [August 18, 2015]
> Bill to establish defense equipment agency enacted [June 11, 2015]