Bush's Diet speech on 'axis of evil' threat is serious: JCP Shii

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo criticized U.S. President George W. Bush for repeating his "axis of evil" threat during his speech to the Japanese parliament on February 19.

Referring to a special gift of an "arrow to defeat the evil" that Prime Minister Koizumi gave him last fall in talks with Bush on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Conference in Shanghai, Shii said that it was very serious for the president to make such remarks actually endorsing his "axis of evil" policy.

This is also serious at a time when Bush's "axis of evil" threat is much criticized throughout the world, Shii said.

On Bush's praise of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces' logistical support for U.S. forces in the retaliatory war, Shii stated that this must be taken as a "U.S. demand that Japan stay the course."

Shii stressed that Japan should avoid opting unconditionally to follow U.S. war escalation policy because such a way is only conducive to Japan's isolation in the world. "Instead, whenever the U.S. takes a wrong policy, Japan should advise them to correct it," Shii said.

On Bush's remark that 'America and Japan have formed one of the great and enduring alliances of modern times,' the JCP chair said it is unthinkable that the Japan-U.S. military alliance will be perpetuated into the 21st century,".

"This makes me acutely feel that the need now is for Japan to change its direction toward establishing genuine equal Japan-U.S. relations by abrogating the military alliance," Shii concluded. (end)