Government submits contingency bills to the Diet

Ignoring public criticism, the government on April 17 submitted three contingency bills to the current Diet session.

Akahata on April 16 stated that the bills, especially the bill "on response to contingencies," are aimed at forcing the general public into cooperating with the government in wars.

The bills submitted after approved by the Security Council of Japan and the cabinet's extraordinary meeting have a grave content that would temporarily suspend the Constitution, Akahata emphasized.

The three bills are: the bill "on response to contingencies"; an amendment to the Self-Defense Forces Law; and an amendment to the Security Council of Japan Establishment Law.

The bill "on response to contingencies" will allow the government to invoke the contingency laws not only when attacks against Japan break out, but also when the government acknowledges the "possibility" of such a situation, and even when such a situation is "predicted."

On this, Defense Agency Director General Nakatani Gen has stated in the Diet that "the situations in areas surrounding Japan" is one such case with which the government will deal under the new laws.

Therefore, the "contingencies response bill" is aimed at allowing Japan's government to invoke the 1999 "Law to deal with situations in areas surrounding Japan" to carry out military operations in U.S. wars in Asia based on public mobilization, Akahata warned.

To this end, the bill stipulates that war cooperation is an "obligatory effort" on the part of the public, and that their "freedoms and rights" be limited temporarily.

On the other hand, the bill gives the prime minister concentrated power, including the right to designate/replace local governments and public facilities to carry out emergency measures.

The bill says that prior approval by the Diet of the government's basic policy under the laws is not necessary.

In addition to these three bills, the government plans to draft bills on the minutes of government emergency measures within two years and matters related to the U.S. Forces, to complete the whole set of contingency laws. (end)