 Panel calls for new Japan-U.S. security ties for overseas dispatch of SDF In preparation for a new National Defense Program Outline to be drawn up this year, the prime minister's advisory panel has issued a report calling for allowing the Self-Defense Forces to carry out overseas missions as its main task by defining it as "an essential means of Japan's self defense." The Council on Security and Defense Capabilities, an advisory panel for Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro, on October 4 issued the recommendation titled, "Vision for future security and defense capability." Commenting on the report of the 10-member panel chaired by Araki Hiroshi, Tokyo Electric Power Co. adviser, Akahata of October 5 stated: The report was released while the government is working out a new defense buildup program concerning how Japan's defense capabilities should be, especially regarding the goal of new facilities and equipment for the SDF. It insisted that the new SDF mission abroad must be to prevent threats as promptly as possible, thus virtually calling for Japan to adopt a preemptive strike policy. Also, the panel criticized the term "international contribution" for being too vague to express SDF missions abroad, and insisted that Japan's two major security goals should be to "defend Japan" and "achieve a better international security environment." In order to carry out the new SDF role abroad, the report proposed that the basic concept of the SDF buildup plan should be "multi-functional and flexible." In response to the U.S. Bush administration's global military transformation that requires Japan to review bilateral burden sharing, the panel insisted that the Japanese government take further steps to "maintain and increase Japan-U.S. security ties" and to formulate a new "Japan-U.S. joint security declaration" and renew the 1997 "Guidelines for Japan-U.S. defense cooperation." As regards the government's three principles banning Japan from exporting weapons, the report called for lifting the ban, at least exports to the U.S. Prime Minister Koizumi, on receiving the report, stated that his cabinet is prepared to draft a new defense buildup program outline within the year. (end) |