Japan Press Weekly

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2016 July 20 - 26 [POLITICS]

Reality of life for abandoned US veterans can happen to SDF under war laws

Akahata ‘current’ column

It is reported that around 12,700 returning U.S. military veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are living on the streets. A U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs report shows that one in 27 veterans became homeless within five years after leaving the military. Around 80% of homeless veterans left the service before the age of 35. About a half of them suffered from mental disorders when they were in service.

The United States has been waging wars in many places across the world. A number of young Americans have been sent to battlefields abroad, got injured physically and mentally, and lost places to live after being discharged from the U.S. military. This is the reality of life as a war veteran in the United States.

“Gunfire and IEDs will rip limbs off bodies. Many Self-Defense Forces members will be killed in ‘kaketsuke-keigo’ missions (SDF’s new task of rushing to rescue foreign military units and civilians under attack)”, an article in the August issue of the monthly “Japan Military Review” magazine warned. IEDs or Improved Explosive Devices are types of remote-controlled bombs.

The author of the article, who is a former Ground SDF researcher, wrote that when visiting the U.S., he saw many veterans with a missing limb. He pointed out that once SDF members are allowed to use weapons to protect foreign troops or local people in missions abroad under the war legislation, they will become a target of IED attacks and some of them may lose arms or legs. Before carrying out “kaketsuke-keigo” missions, the SDf is required to be fully aware of and prepare for such a situation, the author stressed.

The government is considering adding this task to SDF duties in UN Peace Keeping Operations in South Sudan. In the South Sudanese capital city, a military clash between the pro-president and pro-vice president forces occurred early in July. Both forces used tanks and military helicopters in the clash. Under this situation, if SDF units conduct “kaketsuke-keigo” missions, what will happen to them? The pressing need is to abolish the war legislation.

Past related articles:
> Gov’t should not expose SDF troops in South Sudan to risk of ‘killing and being killed’ [July 12, 2016]
> Japan’s use of weapons in PKOs is unconstitutional: expert in int’l relations [October 10, 2015]