Japan's civilian engineers are being sent to war zones

Akahata of November 9 reported how Japan's civilian engineers are incorporated into the Japanese Self-Defense Forces' operations in the Indian Ocean in support of the so-called "anti-terrorism war" led by U.S. forces.

At a House of Representatives Security Affairs Committee meeting on November 8, Akamine Seiken of the Japanese Communist Party said that those workers were asked to give a written pledge that they will not seek to have the Defense Agency (DA) accept liability for any accidents involving them.

According to officials of the Defense Agency and contractor shipbuilders, the DA in late December 2001 began directly using civilian engineers of military industry firms.

In November 2001, the DA invited military contractors to the Maritime SDF Yokosuka docks to brief them on repair plans for SDF warships dispatched to the Indian Ocean.

Akahata learned that engineers from military contractors were sent to a port in the Indian Ocean in late 2001 and that future repair work will be done not only in ports but on the high seas when it is supposedly safe to do so.

The engineers were there under administrative orders. They were also asked to sign a document stating that the Defense Agency will not be liable for any accidents that might involve them. A DA form was used for the document.

In the past, the use of civilian engineers for repair work on warships was limited to military exercises, such as the Rim of the Pacific exercises. But, due to the increased use of upgraded high-tech equipment, the SDF has become obliged to seek further help from civilian experts.

Japan's first civilian engineers to be sent to a conflict region were for peace-keeping operations in East Timor last March. They were assigned to repair work for the landing craft air cushion (LCAC), a high-speed, over-the-beach fully amphibious landing craft carried by the Osumi, a SDF transport ship.

Informed sources have told Akahata that repair work for ships in military operations will basically be done by SDF personnel. In case that repair work is very difficult, the SDF personnel will seek advice from civilian engineers by telephone or ask them to come to do the job.

Under a contract between the DA and military contractors, those engineers who can be sent to help on SDF operations are selected from those who are specially designated as "employees with 'secret' security clearance."

Although the DA claims that contractors will decide whether to accept a DA request for engineers, it has actually pressed contractors into cooperating with the DA saying that it stands to reason that makers should repair products sold to the DA.

A military contractor company worker said: "Civilian engineers' participation in such repair work has taken place so far only for military exercises and training; they are not supposed to be sent into battlefields or any other conflicts. A war on Iraq is imminent. I am very concerned about sending civilian engineers to such areas under an administrative order saying that the safety is assured. The names of personnel sent on such missions are never made public. (end)