April 22, 2022

A Liberal Democratic Party security panel headed by former Defense Minister Onodera Itsunori on April 21 approved draft proposal regarding amendments to the government security strategy. The draft proposal suggests replacing the expression "enemy-strike capability" with "counterforce capability." The government has so far explained that Japan's possession of "capability to attack enemy bases" is unconstitutional.

The draft proposal calls for Japan's possession of “counterforce capability” in order to deter and cope with an armed attack, including a ballistic missile attack, against Japan. The proposal includes enemy missile bases and command/control centers as targets of attack.

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo at a press conference held on the same day in the Diet building commented on this draft proposal.

Shii said that successive governments have stated that the possession of enemy-strike capability is a violation of the Constitution. Shii referred to the past responses the government gave to the Diet: "Possession of weapons that could pose an aggressive threat to other countries in peacetime runs counter to the spirit of the Constitution" (Ino Shigejiro, secretary-general of the Defense Agency, at the House of Representatives Cabinet Committee on March 19 in 1959); and "To maintain thorough civilian control of military, have non-aggressive equipment only, not have a draft system, and not dispatch troops abroad are mandated under the Constitution" (Nakasone Yasuhiro, secretary-general of the Defense Agency, at the House of Councilors plenary session on February 19 in 1970).

Noting that the LDP draft proposal points to not only enemy bases but also enemy command/control functions as attack targets, Shii warned that attacks on another country's governmental organizations could escalate into all-out war.

He said that this draft proposal is very dangerous as it was discussed as a component of the national security-related legislation. He went on to say, "Even if Japan is not under attack, the Self-Defense Forces together with the U.S. military will be able to attack command/control functions of a U.S. enemy in addition to enemy bases. This is what the LDP draft proposal calls for." He expressed his determination to firmly oppose such a proposal.

Past related article:
> Ex-PM Abe: strike at enemy's military nerve center without regard to Article 9 [April 5, 2022]