The Abe government approved in the cabinet meeting May 14 on the controversial war bills and presented them to the Diet the following day. The government says it will give elaborate explanations on the draft text, but it seeks quick passage in the current session with speedy debates in the special committee and by extension of its period. Let’s organize protest actions in every corner of the country to abolish the bills. Let’s encircle the Diet building with actions and activities.

LET’S STAGE MASSIVE STRUGGLES AGAINST WAR BILLS AT STREETS, SQUARES AND PARLIAMENT

The war-legislation constitutes a package of existing 10 acts for revision and a new one to make a drastic turn against pacifism. These bills will allow execution of the right of collective self-defense, removal of a geographic restraint provided under the ‘contingencies in areas surrounding Japan’, military operations with and support not only the US military but also with other foreign troops anywhere on the globe and use of weapons in the PKO and other missions.


All of the new duties violate Article Nine of Constitution and represents legislation to make ‘Japan stage a war in foreign territories’ in both of the real and nominal terms.


Deceptive Technique


Preceding the developments, the two governments of the US and Japan had agreed to update ‘The Guidelines for US-Japan Defense Cooperation’ for the second time. The authorities say that the two governments reached an accord and that parliamentary approval is not necessary.


Concerning the government’s attitudes, however, constitutional and legal endorsement is required. The new guidelines explicitly authorizes Japan’s right of collective self-defense, a global military commitments by the US and Japan and necessary domestic, structural change to pursue the goal. The provisions had been specified before the bills were approved in the cabinet and submitted to the Diet.


Prime Minister Abe Shinzo declared in the meeting held in Washington early May that the bills would be enacted by the summer of 2015. He regards his statement should be an international pledge and urges the Diet to legislate. That is a smart technique to deceive people, taking advantage of external pressure.


Following phrases are seen in the new guidelines: ‘the rights and obligations under the Japan-US Security Treaty will remain unchanged’, ‘will be in accordance with the constitutions’, and ‘Japan will conduct actions, maintaining its exclusively national defense-oriented policy’. But they are lies. The geographic limit is dropped off for bilateral operations and Japan’s logistic support of foreign troops. Use of weapons, which Article Nine of Constitution renounces forever as a means to settle international disputes, shows up ‘seamlessly’ in the bilateral responses.


Defense Minister Nakatani Gen declares ‘use of force, if it is done to defend Japan, is within the domain of exclusively defensive policy’ even when she has not come under armed attack’.


No Restrictions


Prime Minister Abe repeats a phrase ‘seamless responses’ when he refers to legislation and defense posture. That means the government will send the Self Defense Forces (SDF) abroad and allow them to use force in the missions anytime and anywhere in the context of an arbitrary interpretation of the Guidelines.


Following phrases are often used in the draft: ‘in situations where there is a clear risk that Japan’s existence is threatened’, ‘situations where there is grave influence on Japan’, ‘situations where joint response is necessary for international peace’ and ‘a situation for emergency responses’. Each concept overlaps and interacts. Judgment is entrusted to the National Security Council (NSC). Restrictions are not expected.


The new guidelines obliges the government Japan to be totally subject to US demands to deploy SDF in its global missions, and in addition, Japan will be endorsed, in accordance to its own decisions, to send troops and use force abroad. The SDF may use force in the evacuation operations for Japanese citizens and on policing duties in foreign countries ? this is a 21st century version of the wartime policy, ‘Manchuria and Mongolia is Japan’s life line’.


Let’s Protest to Encircle Diet Building!


People throughout the country are uneasy and crisis-ridden. In total 20 civic organizations prepare for campaigns to stage in Tokyo on June 14 and 24 when the Diet session ends. Let’s encircle the Diet building under the banner of ‘People’s actions Against War and For Peace, Life and Human Rights’.


Various actions across the country will be organized, too.


May 26, 2015