April 12, 2024

Japanese Communist Party Chair Tamura Tomoko on April 11 issued a statement after Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and U.S. President Joe Biden held a summit meeting in Washington. The full text of the statement is as follows:

The Japanese Communist Party condemns moves for historic transformation of Japan-U.S. military alliance into a more aggressive coalition

April 11, 2024
Japanese Communist Party Executive Committee Chair Tamura Tomoko

In the Japan-U.S. summit meeting on April 10, the two leaders declared that they will seek a historic transformation of the bilateral military alliance into a more aggressive coalition.

In the joint statement issued following the meeting, the U.S. side welcomed Kishida government’s moves to double Japan’s military budget and its decision to possess capabilities to attack enemy bases. In addition, the two sides stated that they will “bilaterally upgrade” their “respective command and control frameworks to enable seamless integration of operations and capabilities”.

Kishida has repeatedly explained that Japan’s Self-Defense Forces will remain independent in its command and control. However, it is obvious that the SDF will effectively be placed under the command of the U.S. military in its strategy of containing China once it seeks seamless integration of operations and capabilities with the U.S., whose intelligence and equipment are far superior to Japan’s.

The move to adversely transform the Japan-U.S. military alliance is totally incompatible with Japan’s Constitution and must not be tolerated.

It is grave that the two leaders in the joint statement expressed their intention to develop advanced military technologies in cooperation with member countries of AUKUS, a minilateral grouping of the U.S., U.K., and Australia to deter China. Military bloc building is dangerous because it will accelerate the vicious spiral of further military tension and confrontation in the region. The JCP strongly opposes such moves.

The U.S. side in the joint statement welcomed Kishida’s controversial decision to increase Japan’s export of lethal weapons. Tokyo and Washington stated they will co-host a Forum on Defense Industrial Cooperation, Acquisition and Sustainment (DICAS) to jointly develop and produce missiles.

This means that Japan will completely abandon the commitment as a pacifist nation to avoid any possible aggravation of international conflicts, the fundamental component of the Three Principles on Arms Exports prohibiting arms exports as a national policy. It also means that Japan intends to become an unrestrained merchant state of death in subservience to the U.S., which must not be allowed in light of the Japanese Constitution.

The joint statement declares that the two sides will push forward with the construction of a new U.S. base in Okinawa’s Henoko district “as the only solution” by citing the need to maintain the deterrence capability of the bilateral alliance. The JCP condemns this move because it tramples on the will of the majority of people in Okinawa.

The need now is not preparation for war, but preparation for peace through diplomacy. In its Diplomatic Vision, the JCP proposes that Japan, based on Article 9 of its Constitution, should cooperate with the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, strengthen the mechanism that includes all countries in the region, and create peace in East Asia. If Japan supports ASEAN's efforts as noted in the joint statement, it should refrain from strengthening military responses and instead work harder to promote peace diplomacy based on Article 9.

Japan should stop strengthening military alliances and military buildups and instead focus on creating peace through diplomacy. This will bring hope for peace in the region. The JCP will do its utmost to achieve this.