Japan Press Weekly

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2007 July 4 - 10 [SDF]

New defense minister holds ‘dangerous views’: JCP Ichida

Koike Yuriko, former prime ministerial adviser on national security, on July 4 took office as the defense minister, replacing Kyuma Fumio who was forced to resign over his remark that the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki “couldn’t be helped.”

Citing North Korea’s nuclear issue, Koike in her inaugural address said, “Japan is faced with a severe national security situation in its surrounding areas. The government will build multi-functional, flexible and effective defense capabilities.”

Commenting on Koike’s assumption of office, Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi on the same day said, “As Prime Minister Abe Shinzo’s adviser, she has pushed the implementation of the realignment plan of the U.S. forces in Japan and the imposition of a new U.S. base on Okinawa. She holds very dangerous views.”

Ichida pointed out that Koike in reply to a newspaper questionnaire said Japan should consider possession of nuclear armaments depending on the developments of the international situation and that she proudly served as a deputy secretary general of the Japan Conference (Nippon Kaigi) Dietmembers Council, a rightist organization seeking constitutional revision.

“Prime Minister Abe’s appointment of such a person to replace Mr. Kyuma, who had made the outrageous remark, sheds light on the prime minister’s intent. Therefore, Prime Minister Abe himself should be severely criticized,” said Ichida. - Akahata, July 5, 2007