February 2 & 3, 2015
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2015 January 28 - February 3 [POLITICS]
Japan should learn lesson from prewar aggression started by using pretext of ‘protection of Japanese nationals’ |
It is a matter of course that the government is responsible for the protection of Japanese nationals at risk overseas, but it will be unacceptable to capitalize on this situation to jump into legalizing military operations.
Shortly after the Cabinet got the news about the murder of Goto Kenji, one of the hostages, on February 1, Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide held a press conference and stated that Japan “will consider” strengthening security legislation.
Japan, before WWII, used the “protection of Japanese nationals in China” as a pretext for its subsequent aggression in Asia. Japan should now learn from the bitter mistake of its past. To bring hostage-taking groups under control would necessitate armed force, but the use of force has been made unconstitutional in postwar Japan since Article 9 of the present Constitution denies the country’s right to belligerency.
The Abe Cabinet last July made a decision allowing Japan to exercise the right to collective self-defense. His Cabinet wants to take advantage of the heinous act killing the hostages to go headlong into putting the Cabinet decision into effect. It is showing its eagerness to have the SDF provide rear-area logistics support and join the global war on terrorism.
Prime Minister Abe Shinzo stated, “It is the government responsibility to be ready to utilize the SDF capabilities to rescue Japanese in future hostage crises” (Jan.29, House of Representatives Budget Committee). He complained about the existing SDF law banning the use of weapons and permitting only the SDF transport of Japanese citizens in case of emergency. He said, “Even if hostages are all Japanese and our forces have better equipment (than local police or local troops), we are not allowed to rescue them. This doesn’t make sense.”
Abe also said, “Even without UN resolutions, logistics support, either for a coalition of the willing or multinational forces, is constitutionally possible because that is not an actual use of force” (Jan.25, NHK program). He hinted at Japan’s logistics support in military operations outside UN peacekeeping activities, for example, supporting the coalition of the willing which continues with its airstrikes on the Islamic State.
Japan will review the recent hostage crisis caused by the Islamic State. It will require a careful, well-thought-out, in-depth, and multi-dimensional analysis. Without knowing any results of this inquiry, drawing a legal framework to have the SDF participate in military operations to rescue Japanese nationals or participate in the war on terror is absolutely out of the question.
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Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Yamashita Yoshiki at a news conference on February 2 said the party will oppose legitimizing the dispatch of the SDF to rescue Japanese nationals abroad.
Asked for a comment on Prime Minister Abe’s intention to discuss legislative measures to send the SDF to evacuate or rescue Japanese citizens overseas, Yamashita made clear the party’s position, saying, “It is apparent that that could bring about an exchange of fire. From the Article 9 perspective, we shouldn’t allow that to happen.”
“We need to think rationally. Sending in the SDF on a rescue mission during a hostage crisis would only increase the risk of escalating tensions and inviting retaliation,” he said.
He referred to UNSC Resolution 2170 adopted in August 2014 which condemns the terrorist acts of the Islamic State, and suggested that Japan abide by international law as well as international humanitarian law. He went on to say, “What is called on is for Japan to join in concerted global efforts to isolate and disband the extremist militant group in line with Resolution 2170.”
Past related article:
> Abe considers beefing up security laws using pretext of hostage situation in Syria [January 26, 2015]
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