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EDITORIAL :: Memories that linger

Sunday, June 1, 2008

After China asked Japan last week to transport emergency supplies for survivors of the May 12 Sichuan earthquake, even signaling that the use of Japanese Self-Defense Force aircraft would be acceptable, it appeared that C-130s would be the first Air Self-Defense Force aircraft to fly into China, aside from the special government planes that have transported Japanese leaders.

But Tokyo eventually decided against the dispatch of ASDF aircraft after consultation with Beijing. Both governments considered the emergence of strong opposition within China to the dispatch — a reminder that Chinese people's sentiment about Japan is complex and should be handled with care.

Beijing's request itself symbolized a warming of bilateral relations following Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Japan in early May. At that time, Mr. Hu and Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda agreed to push for mutually beneficial strategic relations between the two countries. In light of Japan's military aggression against China in the 1930s and '40s — and the Chinese people's memory of those years — the ASDF mission would have been an event of historic significance.

China needs a large amount of tents, blankets and medicine for those affected by the quake. This urgent requirement together with the activities of a Japanese emergency assistance team in Sichuan Province may have led the Chinese leadership to think that even the dispatch of ASDF aircraft was feasible.

But after the possible dispatch of ASDF aircraft was reported in Japan, many Chinese people expressed strong opposition to it on the Internet. This is a reminder that Japan should not be lulled into thinking that the "issue of historical perceptions" is no longer a sensitive subject.

Japan will send chartered planes to China. The development also underlines a need to establish a network among Asian countries for cooperation in emergency relief work in the event of a major disaster, as recently proposed by Mr. Fukuda.

Additional Afghan support proposed

Sunday, June 1, 2008
Kyodo News

Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura said Saturday that Japan might consider bolstering its support for Afghanistan to include land-based activities, which would augment the Air Self-Defense Force's refueling support for multinational antiterrorism operations in the Indian Ocean.

"We are wondering whether we could continue with the refueling support and do extra activities," Machimura said in a speech in Tokyo.

"The government is trying to think about the activities with a broad perspective, including whether the activities could be based on the sea or on the land of Afghanistan," he added.

On providing physical assistance to Afghanistan, Ichiro Ozawa, president of the largest opposition Democratic Party of Japan, has voiced the idea of having Japanese personnel, including Self-Defense Forces staff, participate in nonmilitary activities under the International Security Assistance Force led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Machimura's comments were aimed at promoting talks on the matter and policies to boost Japan's international contributions and security with the opposition parties, critics said.

Since such support would involve the legislative process, Machimura said the government should carefully assess any plan by keeping the concerns of the DPJ, the largest opposition party, in mind.

He also said the government should reach a conclusion on the plan by the time the Group of Eight summit rolls around in July.

The government has taken a cautious stance on Japanese participation in ISAF activities. Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda has said participating could violate the Constitution because it includes combat actions.

However, Machimura said during a Diet session in January that Article 9 would not be broken if Japan contributes SDF personnel for activities unrelated to security.

Asia is key: Ishiba

SINGAPORE, (Kyodo) Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba said at a security forum in Singapore on Saturday that it is necessary to acquire the trust of other Asian countries when addressing the right to collective defense and other contentious issues.

He also expressed his resolve to enact a permanent law authorizing the Japanese government to dispatch the Self-Defense Forces overseas whenever it deems it necessary for international peace cooperation activities.

Ishiba asks Gates for 'transparency' in cost of military relocation

May 31 11:05 AM US/Eastern

(AP) - SINGAPORE, May 31 (Kyodo) — Japanese Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba asked U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Saturday to secure transparency when calculating costs that Japan would shoulder for the relocation of 8,000 U.S. Marines from Japan's Okinawa Prefecture to Guam, Japanese officials said.

Photo: Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba

Meeting on the sidelines of an international security confab here, Ishiba told Gates that Japan needs to know how the United States estimates the costs involved so Tokyo can fulfill accountability, according to the officials. Gates replied that makes sense, they added.

Japan and the United States have agreed that Japan will shoulder up to $6.09 million of a total of $10.27 million in the estimated cost to help build various infrastructures such as barracks, houses, water supply and sewage facilities for Marines and their families. But Japan's opposition parties have said the U.S. calculation is too high.

Ishiba and Gates confirmed the steady implementation of a 2006 bilateral accord on the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, the officials also said.

The accord includes the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futemma Air Station in the densely populated central Okinawa city of Ginowan to Nago in the same prefecture. But talks have been stalled between Japan's central government and municipalities in Okinawa over the plan to construct an airfield to relocate the U.S. base.

Gates thanked Japan for resuming operations to refuel ships participating in U.S.-led antiterrorism operations in the Indian Ocean and Ishiba replied Japan will continue to cooperate for international peace and stability, the officials said.

Ishiba also met separately with French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie and discussed China's growing military power, and exchanged views with South Korean Defense Minister Lee Sang Hee about the situation on the Korean Peninsula with regard to North Korea's missile programs, the officials said.

Japan, US agree to address relocation issue

2008/05/31 23:42

Japan's Defense Minister has notified the US Defense Secretary of domestic criticism, regarding the high cost that must be shouldered by Japanese taxpayers in order to relocate US Marines from Okinawa to Guam.

In a meeting with Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Singapore on Saturday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the realignment of US forces in Japan should take place as scheduled. Gates said all issues, including those of Okinawa and Guam, are related and essential.

Ishiba agreed, but asked the United States to provide detailed information on the expenses to be borne by Japanese taxpayers, which have invited criticism and concern for being far too high.

Ishiba said the issue has attracted attention in the Diet, and he needs to remain accountable to the people.

Gates acknowledged that the budget issue requires detailed explanation and expressed his intention to fully cooperate on this matter.

Machimura says ISAF participation will be studied

2008/05/31 23:42

Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura says the government will study the possibility of Japan's participation in peace-keeping activities in Afghanistan.

In his speech in Tokyo on Saturday, Machimura said the government plans to consider what Japan can do, either on land or at sea. The current mandate for the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling mission in the Indian Ocean will expire next January.

Machimura said the government must win the understanding of the main opposition Democratic Party, which controls the Upper House. He indicated that it plans to study the possibility of participating in the International Security Assistance Force, ISAF, as suggested by Democratic Party leader Ichiro Ozawa.

Japan's Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba told reporters in Singapore on Saturday, that participation in ISAF will not be easy, citing the aggravated situation in Afghanistan.

Ishiba said that because Japanese Self-Defense Forces personnel can operate only in non-combat zones, such areas must be identified and their activities must be clearly defined.

Japan to mull providing physical support for Afghanistan: Machimura

May 31 10:41 AM US/Eastern

(AP) - TOKYO, May 31 (Kyodo) — Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura said Saturday that Japan intends to consider providing physical support for Afghanistan, including land-based activities, in addition to the current refueling support for multinational antiterrorism operations in the Indian Ocean.

Photo: Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura

"We are wondering whether we could continue with the refueling support and do extra activities," top government spokesman Machimura said in a speech in Tokyo.

"The government is trying to think about the activities with a broad perspective, including whether the activities could be based on the sea or on the land of Afghanistan," he added.

But Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed a cautious stance, telling reporters in Singapore where he is now visiting that he "would not rule out all possibilities but it is still not the stage to begin detailed considerations."

On providing physical assistance to Afghanistan, Ichiro Ozawa, president of the largest opposition Democratic Party of Japan, has voiced the idea of having Japanese personnel, including those from the Self-Defense Forces, participate in nonmilitary activities of the International Security Assistance Force led by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Machimura made the comments with an intention of facilitating talks on the matter as well as the policies regarding Japan's international contributions and security with opposition parties, critics say.

Photo: Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba

As such provision of support requires a legislative process, Machimura said the government should carefully assess the support plan with consideration in mind whether it could win understanding from the DPJ, the largest opposition party.

Machimura also indicated that the Japanese government should come to a conclusion on the new plan by the Group of Eight summit to be held in Japan in July.

"We should be able to clearly express our opinion on the issue (at the summit)," he said.

Machimura added that the government plans to announce additional financial assistance for Afghanistan at a conference of donor countries and agencies for the country to be held in Paris in June.

Ishiba said many issues need to be resolved before sending SDF troops to Afghanistan. The issues include seeking new legislation, assessing "noncombat" areas, determining what types of activities, and coordinating ties with troops of other countries in the same deployment areas.

The government has taken a cautious stance on Japanese participation in ISAF activities, with Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda saying it could run counter to the Constitution because the activities include combat actions.

However, Machimura said in January during a Diet session it would not violate Article 9 of the Constitution even if Japan sends SDF personnel to activities excluding those for maintaining security.