Japan Press Weekly

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2012 November 7 - 13 [POLITICS]

Japan bought cluster bombs even after ratifying treaty banning cluster munitions

It came to light that Japan has continued procuring 70mm cluster munitions despite ratifying the Cluster Munitions Convention.

Late 2008, Japan ratified the international treaty prohibiting the use, the development, and the production of cluster bombs, which inflict great damage on innocent and non-combatant people by spreading hundreds of smaller bomblets.

The Board of Audit recently issued an auditing report for fiscal year 2011 and pointed out that by storing the rocket motors for cluster bombs, the Ground Self-Defense Force had wasted about 564 million yen in tax money.

The Board of Audit also revealed billions of yen for inappropriate defense payments, bringing to light the sloppy handling of equipment procurement in the Defense Ministry.