Japan Press Weekly

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2023 April 12 - 18 [POLITICS]

JCP Yamazoe calls for abolition of new program enabling provision of military aid to ‘like-minded countries’

Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Yamazoe Taku on April 13 criticized a new international cooperation framework called Official Security Assistance (OSA) for the risk that materials supplied through OSA could be used by a recipient country for military purposes, which may facilitate the continuance or start of international conflicts. He urged the government to abolish the OSA framework.

At an Upper House Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting, Yamazoe referred to a news report in September 2022 that Myanmar allegedly applied to have two passenger ships, which were offered by Japan between 2017 and 2019 through ODA, for military uses, such as the transportation of military personnel. Pointing out, “If this is true, it goes counter to the ODA principle limiting Japan’s support to non-military fields,” the JCP lawmaker asked the government about its response to this report.

Deputy Director-General for International Cooperation of the Foreign Ministry Kusakabe Hideki said that the ministry is still investigating the allegation. Yamazoe pointed out that the ministry’s slow handling of the matter indicates the government stance to leave the use of ODA up to recipient countries. He said that it is likely that the government will take the same stance on the provision of OSA.

Yamazoe noted that Japanese NGOs working in foreign countries, including in conflict zones, are expressing concerns that the implementation of OSA will harm Japan’s “pacifist nation” reputation and negatively affect their activities. He said that it is unacceptable for the government to provide military assistance to other countries and demanded the abolition of the OSA framework.

The OSA framework was recently established by the government based on the National Security Strategy, one of the three key national security policies, and is designed to provide defense equipment and other supplies to the militaries of the so-called “like-minded countries”.

Past related articles:
> Kishida gov't should not use aid to developing countries as tool to exclude China [April 9, 2023]
> JCP Kami: Japan's international cooperation should strictly take non-military approach [April 6 & 8, 2023]