Unlikely Examples

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reiterated that exercise of collective self-defense was needed to protect life and property of Japanese people in the discussion over Cabinet decision last year. Now, a Minister of Defense, Gen Nakatani, argues that boarding of evacuating Japanese people on United States vessel is not absolute condition for exercising the right and it will be done with general decision by Japanese government. In other words, Nakatani said Japan would protect U.S. vessel without Japanese people on it in anywhere anytime. Security bills the Diet is discussing now are a legislature for vesting arbitral power on the government.

Last year, Abe explained that Japan needed to exercise collective self-defense right to help Japanese people evacuating from Korean Peninsula on a U.S. vessel, for example. In the discussion at a special committee for security legislature of House of Councillors, Motohiro Ono, a lawmaker affiliated to Democratic Party of Japan, asked why such an evacuating situation would consist “situation of crisis for existence,” which was defined as the condition for exercising collective self defense.

Avoiding detailed discussion over actual situation for collective self-defense, Nakatani reiterated “It’s general decision.” Well, can government use military force with general decision? It will be an unleashed government free from rule of law or any restriction of civilian power. “Whether Japanese people is boarding must be one of the elements for decision, but it is not an absolute one,” added Nakatani. He left a possibility that Japanese self-defense force can exercise its military power not for the purpose of helping life of Japanese people.

The example of rescuing Japanese people on U.S. vessel was raised by Abe to persuade Japanese public with actual scenario. But the scenario turned to be a lure for receiving support for his new security policy, which would make Japanese force integrated to U.S. military operation. Here’s a question: Is Japan really an independent nation?

Abe has also been insisting on situation of crisis for existence in Hormuz Strait, when transportation of petroleum to Japan would be blocked by conflict there. He argued with extreme example that ambulance in Japan would not working, exposing life of Japanese people jeopardy, or that lives of northern region of Japan would be threatened, if it happened in winter.

But, the opposite parties argue that pipeline around Persian Gulf will be an alternative way to supply petroleum to Japan. It is obvious that Abe has been fanning public concern over crisis of Japan with very slightly possible reasons. This bureaucratic deceit may be overturned by future discussion of the people.