Japan Press Weekly

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2008 January 30 - February 5 [SDF]

SDF conducting training exercises armed with guns in city areas

The New Japan Women’s Association (NJWA) has revealed that Self-Defense Forces are conducting training exercises while carrying guns at locations in many cities throughout the country, even in the presence of children.

The NJWA made the revelation on February 4 in a report on a survey it conducted between October and December 2007 on its members throughout the country.

It cites 194 cases reported from 47 prefectures, including 24 prefectures reporting 44 cases of exercises taking place in areas of residents’ daily lives and activities, including children’s routes to schools, housing complexes, and parks.

On November 27, 2007, Seto City and Owariasahi City, both in Aichi Prefecture, about 100 Ground Self-Defense Force soldiers held a march carrying guns through the city including school zones. The NJWA Aichi Prefectural Chapter reported that these exercises are making residents increasingly uneasy.

The NJWA Hyogo Prefectural Chapter reported that training exercises that had been held at night began to be conducted in the daytime in 2007. It said that on June 11, 2007, about 70 GSDF soldiers, including women, had a march exercise from the GSDF Itami Garrison to Kawanishi City (Kobe) and Ikeda City (Osaka).

Many cases of SDF participation in municipal disaster prevention drills were reported.

In Zama City (Kanagawa), 22 GSDF soldiers participated in a disaster prevention drill for municipal employees and citizens with six military vehicles and a helicopter. Most citizens had not been informed of SDF participation in the drill.

Many cases of SDF public activities organized for children were also reported, including visits to SDF facilities for work experience as a part of junior high school curriculums. According to the survey, the SDF holds various public activities such as camping with children at elementary schools. Thus, younger children, including elementary school pupils and kindergarten children, are being made the targets of such SDF events.

NJWA President Takada Kimiko stated, “I cannot help but be indignant at the SDF training exercises being held near children’s routes to schools. Such a way of training exercises will deliberately give children a positive image of the military. Such a move is related to the attempt to establish a permanent law to deploy the SDF abroad in wars with the U.S. anywhere at any time. We will take prompt action in protest against these SDF moves as part of the effort to defend Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution.”