Caution needed on Japan's defence growth: Analysis

Home>>Opinion

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, December 20, 2003

Caution needed on Japan's defence growth: Analysis

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

According to Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun, the Japanese Government is to release a statement to re-examine the longstanding three principles concerning the current ban on arms exports in a bid to sell weapons parts to the United States.

The latest controversial move comes as the government has formally approved at a Cabinet meeting on Friday the purchase of a new missile-defence system developed by the United States.

Japan would deploy the surface-to-air Patriot Advanced Capability-3 system in the Kanto region along with an Aegis destroyer-based standard Missile 3 (SM3) system.

The two countries are currently trying to jointly produce a more effective system than the SM3, which they claim would be able to guard against a possible wider range of so-called "incoming ballistic missile attacks?by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea more quickly.

The Japanese Government is again exaggerating the so-called threats posed by neighbouring countries to advance towards its long-pursued status of being a "normal country?and a military power.

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi stressed the importance of introducing a missile-defence system to boost the country's defence capabilities.

"I believe it's necessary to have it,?Koizumi said. "It goes in line with Japan's principle of using force strictly for defence purposes.?

His words are not true.

Revising the current ban on arms exports itself runs counter to the spirit of the country's pacifist constitution.

Japan has never exported weapons under the three arms exports ban principles rooting from its post-war constitution adopted in 1967, as well as a statement issued in 1976 that expanded the list of countries covered by the three principles.

However, the ban was partly lifted in 1983 to allow technological co-operation with the US, with which Japan has a security treaty.

The two nations have been conducting a joint study of missile defence-related technology since 1998.

Moreover, by the end of 2004, Japan also intends to review the nation's basic defence framework adopted in 1976 and reviewed in 1995, as well as the current five-year defence programme.

The planned review of the current arms exports ban and the basic defence framework are essentially a shift of the country's strategic mentality from defensive to offensive.

The country's defence developments, no matter under what excuses, will certainly arouse deeper concern from its Asian neighbours.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Japan to build missile defense system

Japanese govt orders SDF dispatch to iraq

China opposes foreign interference on HK affairs: Official ( 54 Messages)

China seeks int'l support in counter-terrorism ( 12 Messages)

Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein arrested ( 101 Messages)

Nanjing Massacre remembered ( 54 Messages)

Abandoned Chinese babies find love from foreign parents ( 3 Messages)