Seven-hour Visit to Juba

It was a seven-hour visit for the Minister in charge of commanding Japanese Self-defense Force to determine whether to add a new and possibly unconstitutional operation to its activity in overseas. What she saw there was some places in the capital city, where government army laid heavy security posture. How can she decide to send Japanese personnel, the operation that is legally limited to the place without actual battle, with that short visit?

Mainichi Shimbun ran an embedding report of the visit of Minister of Defense, Tomomi Inada, at Juba, South Sudan, where an engineering company was stationing. After the military collision between supporters for the President and those for the First Vice-President in July, Japanese Self-defense Force has been refraining from taking any activity outside the area controlled by United Nations troops. Workers for Japan International Cooperation Agency, which would deal with non-military activities related to official development assistance, evacuated South Sudan in July.

It was the first opportunity for a Minister of Japan to visit South Sudan after the hostility in July. Inada made her visit this time to determine whether Japanese government would add new operations of running-up protection, which would enable JSDF to reach and help other troops under attack, and mutual guarding of joint camp. Those operations were newly recognized as possible operations of JSDF in controversial new security legislation.

Inada and four media crews for pool reporting was transported in Juba on bullet-proof four-wheel-drive cars, protected by two tracks with ten soldiers with automatic rifles for South Sudan Government Army. In the meeting with Deputy Minister of Defense, David Yau Yau, Inada heard request for building infrastructure in South Sudan. With immediate demand from South Sudanese government, Inada visited the place of constructing a bridge, which had been suspended by evacuation of JICA workers.

At the end of the schedule, Inada made five-minute visit to the place where JSDF was overhauling a tunnel for refugees in UN security area, having lecture about the operation and taking picture with JSDF troops. Then, she rushed to the airport and flew to Japan.

Security situation in South Sudan has significantly been deteriorated after July. Nevertheless, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is consistently looking for an opportunity to send JSDF troops to the country, possibly because he wants to justify his new security legislation as workable. During his policy speech in the beginning of current session of the Diet, Abe demanded the lawmakers to praise JSDF troops working hard, as if he was praying for JSDF victims in the future. This is a national leader who likes to see his people dying for his cause.