Japan's army trains for anti-guerrilla, NBC warfare

Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force established facilities last April to carry out exercises to repel a possible attack by guerrillas and attacks using nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons, called military operations in urban terrain (MOUT).

The Japanese Communist Party Dietmembers Group has recently visited the GSDF facilities established at the GSDF Sone Training Site in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture. An Akahata report of November 7 reveals:

The MOUT facilities, costing 200 million yen (1.66 million dollars), has three housing facilities; two two-story and one one-story structure.

In the training, they use laser beams instead of live-bullets with each combat exercise taking ten minutes or less, and results are judged by a specified device called the "Battler."

A total of 16,000-17,000 rounds of training will be carried out for about 230 days a year. The GSDF explains that blank guns and helicopters will be added to the training.

Within four years, the SDF will have new facilities with eleven buildings at the Fuji School of the GSDF Ground Staff College in Shizuoka Prefecture.

Anti-guerrilla command exercises were carried out in 2000 at the GSDF Hijudai training site in Oita Prefecture and Higashi-Chitose site in Hokkaido. In September and October this year, GSDF units took part in U.S.-Japan joint military operations in urban terrain (MOUT) at the U.S. Army base in Hawaii.

The 1997 Japan-U.S. Guidelines for Defense Cooperation stipulates that the SDF is required to prevent and drive back a possible attack by guerrilla forces against Japan's territories.

Under the 1997 new Guidelines and the 1999 laws for Japan's participation in U.S. wars, the GSDF is assigned to engage in rear area support for U.S. forces and defend U.S. bases in Japan. New GSDF facilities at Sone and Fuji are aimed at developing the ability of the GSDF to carry out actual combat operations.

They are designed to prepare JGSDF infantry units for overseas assignments under the 1999 laws and the 1992 law on Japan's participation in United Nations Peace-keeping Operations, as well as the contingency bills and the U.N. peacekeeping forces bill now being discussed. (end)