UNSC resolution allows for no automatic use of force: Chief Cabinet Secretary

A senior Japanese government official has stated that the new United Nations Security Council resolution leaves no room for the U.S. to automatically use force on Iraq.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda Yasuo was speaking at the House of Representatives contingency bill committee meeting on November 11, in answer to the Japanese Communist Party's Kijima Hideo.

Kijima argued, "The need now is for us to avoid war on Iraq and peacefully settle the issue of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. Under the new agreement, the UNSC will immediately deal with the matter whenever Iraq violates the agreement. In no sense does it authorize the U.S. to automatically attack Iraq."

Fukuda answered, "Any serious violation of UNSC Resolution 1441 will be immediately reported to the council for discussion." Quoting the United States representative as saying, "This resolution contains no 'hidden triggers' and no automaticity with respect to the use of force," Fukuda confirmed what Kijima pointed out.

Kijima said that under the Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law, Japan can't support U.S. forces operating in Afghanistan, which has already established a provisional government. Furthermore, the law can't be applied to Japan's support for U.S. forces on its attack on Iraq, Kijima stressed. He asked the government to clarify its view on the relation between Iraq and the terrorist group al-Qaida.

Stating that the Japanese government has no information that supports the claim of Iraq's connections with al-Qaida in Afghanistan, the chief cabinet secretary answered that currently Japan is not allowed to support the U.S. in an attack on Iraq under the Anti-Terrorism Special Measures Law. (end)