No. 1297 Debates on National Security to be Deepened – Key Role of Constitutional Democratic Party
The government is preparing for a war, piling up accomplished facts. But fervent debates are not seen in the parliament to deepen the national security issue. It needs a change. The recognition of lawmakers in the capital city is far from that of the inhabitants in Okinawa and the southwestern islands who have an acute sense of uncertainty. We expect the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) to play a key role in the arguments on national security.
KEEP THE STANCE TO RENOUNCE CONTROVERSIAL THREE NATIONAL SECURITY DOCUMENTS
In the Diet session the government, including Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, does not explain about reasons for the estimate of defense budget of 4.3 billion yen, nor norms how to judge a moment to use the nation’s military capabilities to attack enemy bases. Concerning the conditions to execute the collective self-defense right, too, it only repeats the relevant three prerequisites. In addition, the question presented by Lawmaker Izumi Kenta, President of the Constitutional Democratic Party, does not fit to realities.
High quality of defense capacity
Concerning the \4.3 billion defense budget, President Izumi explained reasons from the point that it is necessary to have high quality of defense capacity, including intensified missile defense power. He demanded a reform in the scope of expenditure to generate a source for the military purpose.
Regarding the capacity to hit adversaries, he declined such attacks waged in the stage when the opponent should launch a missile and ones in a moment of existential crisis, but he affirmed a necessity for the Self Defense Forces (SDF) to have long-range missiles.
The CDP does not oppose a policy that the SDF should deploy long-range missiles along the First island chain, and the president only expressed concerns about sharing and transferring of the right to command to the US military.
Will Diet approve facts posteriorly?
The above-mentioned change in the national security policy reflects a fact that the government has lately decided to acquire capacity to counter-attack, which Article Nine of the constitution prohibits to possess. The controversial capability will bring tensions and urge competitions in deterrent power in the Asian region.
In the contemporary war a line between the exclusive defensive posture and the actual attack is quite fuzzy. When a war begins, a debate whether it is a first strike or not will be closed, and the Diet will be a place to admit facts. Many lawmakers could insist on a counter-attack, disputing that it will be made after the landing of the adversary’s missile.
In a national emergency US aircraft will take off not only from Okinawa but also from Iwakuni and Yokota. From the southwestern islands US special units will make sorties. The country/countries to be attacked will defend themselves, hitting the bases located in Japan.
The Ryukyu Shinbun newspaper recently conducted a study, asking questions to 41 top administrative leaders of cities, towns and villages in Okinawa Prefecture. Eighty percent of them replied they feel threats from China. Nobody replied to accept missiles in their communities. A half of them did not answer on intensifying the SDF, and seventy percent of the leaders ask the government of Japan to make diplomatic efforts.
Never wage a war!
This stance is the most realistic. In short, we must prevent a war from happening. The sole option is to stop competitions in deterrent power, promoting détente.
President Izumi rightly mentioned that the world cannot be split up in terms of democracy versus non-democracy, but his remarks on intensification of deterrence wanes people’s efforts.
The New Socialist Party hopes the CDP, at least, to renounce the three documents on national security and to insist reduction of military expenditure and build-up.
岸田文雄首相ら政府の答弁は、43兆円の積算根拠も敵基地攻撃の判断基準も明かさない。集団的自衛権行使の条件も、「三要件」を繰り返すだけだ。しかも、立憲民主党の泉健太代表の代表質問も現実とかみあわない。
質の高い防衛力
泉代表は43兆円に対しては、「ミサイル防衛能力の強化…など、質の高い防衛力の整備」は必要という前提で、積算根拠の説明と「歳出改革」による財源ねん出を求めた。
「反撃能力」については「相手国のミサイル発射段階における」攻撃と「存立事態危機」での攻撃には反対したものの、「自衛隊が長射程のミサイルを保有する必要性については理解する」という。
「第一列島線」に自衛隊が長射程ミサイルを配備する方針には反対せず、米軍への指揮権共有・移譲への懸念をただすにとどめた。
事後承認の場に
安保政策の「転換」とは、憲法９条が禁じる「反撃能力の保持」に踏み切ったことだ。それがアジアの緊張と抑止力競争をもたらす。
現代戦では、「専守防衛」と「攻撃」の境界はファジーだ。戦争が始まれば「先制攻撃か否か」の議論はかき消され、国会は「事後承認」の場と化し、「敵のミサイルが着弾してから反撃するのか」という主張がのさばる。
「有事」には沖縄だけでなく岩国、横田などからも米軍機が飛び立ち、南西諸島からは米軍の特殊部隊が出撃する。攻撃される側は、「防衛」のために日本国内の出撃拠点をたたくことになる。
琉球新聞社による沖縄県内41市町村長へのアンケートでは、中国には８割が「脅威」を感じ、ミサイル受け入れ可という回答はゼロ。自衛隊配備強化も半数は賛否を示さず、７割が政府に外交努力を求めている。
戦争は絶対ダメ
この態度こそ現実主義だ。要は、絶対に戦争を起こさせないこと。そのためには、緊張緩和をして抑止力競争を止めるしかない。
泉代表は、「民主主義ＶＳ非民主主義国」として世界を分断するなと正しく主張した。しかし、「抑止力強化」を言うことはこの努力をぶち壊してしまう。 立憲民主党にはせめて、「安保三文書」の破棄、そして軍事費と軍備削減を主張してほしい。
英訳版↓
No. 1297 Debates on National Security to be Deepened – Key Role of Constitutional Democratic Party
The government is preparing for a war, piling up accomplished facts. But fervent debates are not seen in the parliament to deepen the national security issue. It needs a change. The recognition of lawmakers in the capital city is far from that of the inhabitants in Okinawa and the southwestern islands who have an acute sense of uncertainty. We expect the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) to play a key role in the arguments on national security.
KEEP THE STANCE TO RENOUNCE CONTROVERSIAL THREE NATIONAL SECURITY DOCUMENTS
In the Diet session the government, including Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, does not explain about reasons for the estimate of defense budget of 4.3 billion yen, nor norms how to judge a moment to use the nation’s military capabilities to attack enemy bases. Concerning the conditions to execute the collective self-defense right, too, it only repeats the relevant three prerequisites. In addition, the question presented by Lawmaker Izumi Kenta, President of the Constitutional Democratic Party, does not fit to realities.
High quality of defense capacity
Concerning the \4.3 billion defense budget, President Izumi explained reasons from the point that it is necessary to have high quality of defense capacity, including intensified missile defense power. He demanded a reform in the scope of expenditure to generate a source for the military purpose.
Regarding the capacity to hit adversaries, he declined such attacks waged in the stage when the opponent should launch a missile and ones in a moment of existential crisis, but he affirmed a necessity for the Self Defense Forces (SDF) to have long-range missiles.
The CDP does not oppose a policy that the SDF should deploy long-range missiles along the First island chain, and the president only expressed concerns about sharing and transferring of the right to command to the US military.
Will Diet approve facts posteriorly?
The above-mentioned change in the national security policy reflects a fact that the government has lately decided to acquire capacity to counter-attack, which Article Nine of the constitution prohibits to possess. The controversial capability will bring tensions and urge competitions in deterrent power in the Asian region.
In the contemporary war a line between the exclusive defensive posture and the actual attack is quite fuzzy. When a war begins, a debate whether it is a first strike or not will be closed, and the Diet will be a place to admit facts. Many lawmakers could insist on a counter-attack, disputing that it will be made after the landing of the adversary’s missile.
In a national emergency US aircraft will take off not only from Okinawa but also from Iwakuni and Yokota. From the southwestern islands US special units will make sorties. The country/countries to be attacked will defend themselves, hitting the bases located in Japan.
The Ryukyu Shinbun newspaper recently conducted a study, asking questions to 41 top administrative leaders of cities, towns and villages in Okinawa Prefecture. Eighty percent of them replied they feel threats from China. Nobody replied to accept missiles in their communities. A half of them did not answer on intensifying the SDF, and seventy percent of the leaders ask the government of Japan to make diplomatic efforts.
Never wage a war!
This stance is the most realistic. In short, we must prevent a war from happening. The sole option is to stop competitions in deterrent power, promoting détente.
President Izumi rightly mentioned that the world cannot be split up in terms of democracy versus non-democracy, but his remarks on intensification of deterrence wanes people’s efforts.
The New Socialist Party hopes the CDP, at least, to renounce the three documents on national security and to insist reduction of military expenditure and build-up.
March 1, 2023