Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2014 July 9 - 15 [POLITICS]

PM: collective self-defense includes minesweeping operations in Hormuz Strait

Prime Minister Abe Shinzo at a House of Representative Budget Committee meeting on July 14 stated that minesweeping operations in sea lanes are within the scope of the use of collective self-defense right.

His logic is this: “80% of crude oil and 20% of natural gas Japan imports from Middle Eastern states come through the Strait of Hormuz,” so a blockade of the Strait by means of mining will have a negative effect on the supply of oil to Japan, and “Our country’s existence would be threatened. The people’s lives, their freedoms, and the right to pursue happiness would profoundly be threatened,” therefore minesweeping meets the conditions for resorting to armed force in exercising the right to collective self-defense.

“When an armed attack against our country occurs, and when an armed attack on a country that has a close relationship with our country occurs and poses a clear danger to our country’s existence and the lives of the people, their freedoms and the right to pursue happiness must be given priority.”

Abe is now using “the supply of energy” as an excuse for Japan’s collective defense. This is the same logic Japan in the past used to invade other Asian nations to “secure resources”.

Later in the day, Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Yamashita Yoshiki held a press conference and said, “It has become clear today that it will be left up to the government to decide or expand the scope of collective self-defense or the use of force abroad.”

Past related articles:
> SDF’s mine sweeping operation is unacceptable under Constitution: JCP Inoue [June 10, 2014]