Ruling block team issues interim report on permanent law for SDF mission abroad

Japan Press Weekly

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

Ruling block team issues interim report on permanent law for SDF mission abroad

A project team of the ruling Liberal Democratic and Komei parties on June 19 completed an interim report calling for a permanent law to enable the Self-Defense Forces to operate overseas.

Later in the day, Yamasaki Taku of the LDP, who chairs the project team, said, “We want to have a bill enacted in next year’s ordinary session of the Diet.”

The project members agreed that a new law will maintain the five principles governing Japan’s participation in peace keeping operations (PKO), limit SDF activities to non-combat zones when they take part in activities other than PKO, and requires Diet approval prior to each operation.

The report states that the project team will examine if it is possible for the Japanese SDF to take up tasks as security guards as part of their overseas missions and if they should be allowed to use force if assigned such tasks.

The use of force is prohibited by Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution.

If SDF units participate in activities as security guards, they might be dragged into U.S. forces’ operations to “mop up terrorists” in Iraq or Afghanistan.

- Akahata, June 20, 2008