Domestic Politics in International Operation

Some newspapers reported that the government of Japan decided not to add “approach for guarding” to official mission of Japanese Self-defense Force in United Nations Peace-keeping Operation until the election of House of Councillors would end next summer. Even if foreign troops are injured in PKO in South Sudan, regardless necessity of Japan’s help, he/she will not be rescued by JSDF until the election will be finished. Shinzo Abe administration is bringing Japanese politics to the field for reconstruction effort of a young country in Africa.

Approach for guarding is a unique concept in Japan, which has renounced war as a way to settle international conflicts. PKO Cooperation Law in 1992 assumed that JSDF would join the international PKO effort only where actual battle had ceased. When Jun-ichiro Koizumi administration passed Iraq Special Measures Law in 2003, the activity of JSDF was limited in non-combat area. The restriction was to implement Article 9 of Constitution of Japan, which prohibited exercise of collective self-defense right.

Abe administration removed that limitation with a cabinet decision last year. While approaching foreign troops in trouble with assault by armed groups had been recognized as integration to use of force, Japanese government changed its policy to make it possible. It would have been applied in South Sudan PKO next May, when new company would be deployed.

New security legislation for exercising collective self-defense will be activated within six months from the announcement of September 30th. For activation, Abe administration will have to make another cabinet decision. The government has been preparing the activation in late March. But, if the issue is raised in the Diet discussion, it will affect the election of House of Councillors scheduled in early summer. That is actual concern of the administration.

Political appointees led the effort to postpone the activation. “It is natural for the government to save enough time for safety of JSDF personnel,” told a lawmaker with Liberal Democratic Party. The opposite parties criticize the administration, noting that the policy change proved the danger of new security legislation.

Fundamental question is whether “approach for guarding” is really required in PKO. JSDF has a right for self-defense, when attacked by enemy, even in the field of PKO. To protect friend troops around JSDF can be recognized as an act of self-defense. To support battle on the front line is inevitable use of force. There is a clear line between them. Japanese government is drawing a unique line in the field of international cooperation.