Stop preparations for military action abroad

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Stop preparations for military action abroad
Akahata editorial (excerpts)

The Defense Agency's budget request for the next fiscal year starting in April 2007 includes money for the development of high-mobility combat vehicles that can move at a high-speed in battlegrounds as well as money for research and development of unmanned air vehicles that can attack airborne targets.

The aim of these items is to equip the Self-Defense Forces with the same weaponry as that of the U.S. forces in order to drastically enhance the joint Japan-U.S. operational setup. We must not allow the introduction of these new kinds of equipment that will pave the way for Japan to participate offensively in international conflicts.

Pusher-type unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are used for spying on foreign military deployments and movements by intruding into the territorial air space of the country. This will pave the way for U.S.-led preemptive attacks.

By combining Japan's intelligence gathering satellites with UAVs, the Japanese SDF will be able to display U.S.-level capabilities in battlegrounds in U.S. preemptive wars.

The Defense Agency has indicated that it will purchase from the United States unmanned reconnaissance planes (Global Hawks) that can fly at a very high altitude or another type of unmanned reconnaissance planes that can stay at a medium or high altitude. By introducing UAVs of the same type as that used by the United States, the Japanese SDF and U.S. forces will be able to divide the area for reconnaissance and share data useful for their joint military operations.

By possessing UAVs, Japan will take part in U.S. intelligence gathering. If Japan provides the U.S. with data obtained from SDF UAVs, it will amount to exercising the right of collective self-defense, which is unconstitutional.

High-mobility combat vehicles, which the Defense Agency wants to develop in the next eight years for deployment, are also for military operations integrated with the U.S. forces.

The government has a plan to develop the same type of combat vehicles as "Stryker" armored combat vehicles that are currently used by U.S. forces in their mop-up operations in Iraq. The 105-mm gun mounted on the combat vehicle is the same type as that used for the Type 74 Tank. They have the power to destroy moving combat vehicles. They can be airlifted to battle zones by C-130 transport aircraft and will be used mainly for SDF operations outside Japan.

The introduction of UAVs and the development and possession of high-mobility combat vehicles, along with the establishment of a Ground SDF Central Readiness Regiment, will mean that Japan is preparing for wars abroad. These are dangerous moves that go against the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution.
- Akahata, October 2, 2006