Japan Press Weekly

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2015 August 5 - 11 [POLITICS]

Maritime SDF documents conflict with gov’t argument regarding constitutionality of war bills

Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councilors Nihi Sohei on August 4 at a House Special Committee on war bills used Maritime Self-Defense Force internal documents which indicated that the war bills violate the Japanese Constitution as enable the SDF to take pre-emptive action.

The documents which were jointly drawn up by the MSDF Staff Office and the MSDF Staff College illustrate MSDF missions under a situation threatening Japan’s existence which is a prerequisite for Japan’s use of the collective self-defense right, one of the key elements of the war bills. Those missions include ship inspections, rear-area support, disposal of naval mines, and protection of foreign warships, such as U.S. vessels.

Regarding the protection of U.S. military ships, Nihi pointed out that the documents indicate the possibility that even if U.S. military vessels are not under attack, the MSDF may take action.

Defense Minister Nakatachi Gen admitted that with the government decision, it is possible for MSDF warships to take necessary measures to block enemy attacks against U.S. vessels. Prime Minister Abe Shinzo said that all missions in the document will be carried out based on the war bills now under Diet discussion.

Nihi stressed that if the SDF takes military action before any enemy attack against U.S. warships, this will be regarded as a pre-emptive attack and endanger lives by attracting a direct attack against Japan. He pointed out that what the MSDF documents revealed is that the aim of the bills is not to cope with a situation critical to Japan’s survival as the government claims.

He also said that the MSDF documents conflict with the government argument that the SDF is a limited armed force allowed under the Constitution to defend Japan.