Japan Press Weekly

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2015 March 25 - 31 [POLITICS]

PM’s ‘our military’ remark reveals what security legislation aims to achieve: JCP Kokuta

Prime Minister Abe seems to be unable to hide his pro-military feelings after his Cabinet allowed Japan’s use of the collective self-defense right and the ruling Liberal Democratic and Komei parties agreed to improve security legislation.

PM Abe on March 20 at a House of Councilors Budget Committee meeting called the Self-Defense Forces “our military” in response to a question made by a Japan Innovation Party lawmaker.

This remark instantly provoked fierce criticism from the opposition. In reaction to the criticism, however, Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide only said that whether the SDF is actually a military or not depends on what the definition of “military” is.

Japanese Communist Party Diet Policy Commission Chair Kokuta Keiji on March 25 at a press conference said, “The PM’s ‘our military’ remark embodies the very essence of the Cabinet decision to lift the ban on the use of the collective self-defense right.”

“His remark also reveals the danger of developing unconstitutional security-related legislation which seeks to expand the SDF’s use of armed force abroad without restraint. The JCP will continue to confront this move,” Kokuta added.


Past related articles:
> Shii: Ruling bloc’s agreement to legalize collective self-defense right is unconstitutional [March 20, 2015]
> Development of security legislation to amplify unconstitutional Cabinet decision [February 16, 2015]