Japan Press Weekly

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2014 May 14 - 20 [POLITICS]

JCP demands halt to SDF military parade in tourist area

Japanese Communist Party representatives in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, made representations on May 15 to the Defense Ministry that the authorities cancel a plan to hold a military parade in the city.

The Self-Defense Forces plan to stage a parade on May 24 in commemoration of the 64th anniversary of the foundation of the SDF Kanazawa Garrison. They are to mobilize for the parade about 350 SDF members, six helicopters, and 25 military vehicles, including armored cars. Those SDF members will carry firearms such as trench mortars.

The march is to go through the downtown area and also pass by Kanazawa Castle and Kenroku-en, which is counted as one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan.

JCP Kanazawa City Assembly member Morio Yoshiaki referred to the fact that the SDF have refrained from flying aircraft over the city since a jet fighter crashed in the city in 1969, killing four civilians. “Flying military helicopters means ignoring the lesson learned from the fatal accident,” he said.

JCP Ishikawa Prefectural Assembly member Sato Masayuki pointed out, “Mobilizing tank busters is in direct contradiction to the claim that they will show how helpful the SDF equipment is in dealing with disasters.”

JCP member of the House of Councilors Inoue Satoshi also criticized the ministry, saying, “Even though the defense authorities insist that they want to express their thanks to the general public by holding the parade, they are actually trying to conduct a PR campaign for the SDF.”

Past related article:
> Japan’s TV stations keen to do PR for SDF [April 16, 2014]