Japan Press Weekly

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2022 February 16 - 22 [POLITICS]

DefMin's remark that Japan will 'not lock out' option to bomb enemy bases goes against Constitution

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on February 17 criticized Defense Minister Kishi Nobuo, who made a remark that Japan will "not lock out" an option for SDF aircraft to enter other nations' territorial airspace to bomb military installations there, for going directly against the Japanese Constitution banning use of offensive force.

Shii at a press conference in the Diet building said, "To cross into the airspace of other countries to carry out bombings is referred to as an act of war which the Constitution prohibits. The government has begun making unconstitutional statements in public. Japan is coming to a very dangerous point of no return."

He said that the ruling parties are seeking to take the teeth out of the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution so that Japan can possess enemy-strike capability, and called on opposition parties defending the Constitution to unite to stand against this move.

DM Kishi at a subcommittee of the Lower House Budget Committee held on the previous day said that the government will "not rule out" an enemy-strike option while taking into account the three criteria required before the exercise of Japan's right to self-defense.

The three criteria are: the existence of an imminent and unjust invasion of Japan, i.e. actual armed attack; there is no other means to prevent this; and force should be used only to the minimum necessary in this situation.

By having upgraded the SDF escort ship "Izumo" to an aircraft carrier and having purchased many F-35B stealth fighters, the Defense Ministry promotes the possession of weapons capable of attacking enemy bases without sufficient Diet discussions.