Japanese Defense Deputy Calls for Nuclear Armament of Japan

[Ak Malten]

Beste Mensen,

ter informatie.
Ik denk dat er wel enige reactie hierop nodig is.

Met vriendelijke groeten,

Ak
---original message follows---
Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 10:34:36 -0500
From: Joseph Gerson <Jgerson at afsc.org>
Sender: owner-abolition-caucus at igc.org
Subject: Japanese Defense Deputy Calls for Nuclear Armament of Japan
  Story from Asahi Evening News
To: abolition-caucus at igc.apc.org
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10/20
Friends,
        Following is a disturbing report from the English language (and web)
edition of one of Japan's leading newspapers. It describes, with
quotations, an interview with the newly appointed deputy head of the Japan
Defense Agency in which the official advocated Japan becoming a nuclear
power. Although Prime Minister Obuchi subsequently reaffirmed his
government's commitments to Japan's Three "Non-Nuclear Principles", this
event serves as a window into the thinking and vision of an influential
sector of the Japanese ruling elite and should be a source of concern to us
all - especially in the wake of the Know Nothing vote in the US Senate on
the CTBT.
        J. Gerson


Asahi Evening News - October 20, 1999
Obuchi set to oust defense deputy
Controversial published remarks by Shingo Nishimura advocating a domestic
nuclear capability seem to assure his ouster in the face of mounting
political pressure.

By KISHIKO HISADA

Asahi Evening News

Shingo Nishimura's published suggestion that Japan should talk about having
its own nuclear capability seems almost certain to lead to his departure
from his post as deputy head of the Defense Agency.

Insiders said today that Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi was outraged at the
furor caused by Nishimura's remarks. Obuchi told reporters, "I am
responsible for all political affairs, including selection not only of
parliamentary vice ministers but also Cabinet ministers."

He also said it is unthinkable that his administration would alter the
nation's three nonnuclear principles--not to possess, produce or allow the
introduction of nuclear weapons.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Mikio Aoki met Nishimura this morning to discuss
the issue. He said that Nishimura told him he would decide what action to
take after discussions later in the day with Defense Agency
Director-General Tsutomu Kawara and with Ichiro Ozawa, head of the Liberal
Party, of which Nishimura is a member.

Earlier, Nishimura told reporters that the question of his resignation was
not broached in his hour-long meeting with Aoki.

At a regular press briefing later, Aoki said the Cabinet would then decide
an appropriate course of action, based on Nishimura's decision.

He said Nishimura did not step back from his view that the Diet is the
appropriate venue for discussion of defense policy issues. Aoki added,
however, that key parliamentarians should be careful about making remarks
that could lead to misunderstanding of official government policy.

Aoki said that Nishimura told him the magazine had not misrepresented his
views in the interview, although he acknowledged that some of what he said
may have been inappropriate.

The controversial interview was published in the Japanese-language magazine
Weekly Playboy, which went on sale Tuesday. In the interview, Nishimura
characterized his comments as his personal opinion, and said Japan should
discuss whether the nation should have its own nuclear arms.

Opposition parties objected to the remarks because they go against
established government policies refuting nuclear weapons.

The Nishimura episode adds to the political pressure on Obuchi that began
building earlier in the week from the defeat of his Liberal Democratic
Party in an election Sunday in Nagano Prefecture at the hands of the
opposition Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan).


Nishimura is highly regarded for his knowledge of defense matters, but is
also regarded as an outspoken hawk. He was given the key defense post as
one of 32 parliamentary vice ministers chosen to strengthen the influence
of elected officials in the Diet, departing from a longstanding
parliamentary tradition of having bureaucrats respond to questions in the
Diet on behalf of Cabinet ministers.

Nishimura stirred controversy in 1997 by being in a party that went by boat
to the disputed Senkaku Islands, also claimed by China, as a gesture
reinforcing Japan's claim.


Nishimura was named one of the Defense Agency's two parliamentary vice
ministers in the Oct. 5 Cabinet changes that followed formation of a new
coalition of the LDP, the Liberal Party and New Komeito.

"The Diet should discuss whether Japan would be better off if it armed
itself with nuclear weapons," Nishimura was quoted as saying in the
magazine interview. "Nuclear weapons equates to a deterrent," he added. "If
there were no punishment for rape, we would all be rapists. We do not
become rapists because there is the deterrent of punishment," cited
Nishimura.

"If neighboring nations are pointing their medium-range ballistic missiles
at major cities in Japan, Japan has reached the point where it needs to
discuss in the Diet what we should do," said Nishimura.

Nishimura used the "rape" analogy often in the interview, including an
observation that collective defense means that men help women who are
raped. Nishimura said in the interview that his career as a politician has
been involved in establishing a national military force.

Defense Chief Tsutomu Kawara phoned Nishimura, who was in Osaka, and told
him that his remarks were "inappropriate" for an agency parliamentary vice
minister because they went against official policy, a senior official of
the agency said.

Kawara also told Nishimura to be more careful when he makes comments,
according to the official.

Nishimura's response in the phone conversation, according to the official,
was that he was asked several times to give his personal opinion. He said
he admitted that some of his comments were not appropriate in terms of the
proper way to express such opinion. But Nishimura has also said in
televised interviews that his personal comments are to be distinguished
from his comments as an elected official.

Minshuto, the largest opposition party, treated Nishimura's remarks as
presenting a serious problem because they go against national policy.
Minshuto members said the blame falls on Obuchi for having named such a
hawkish politician to be a parliamentary vice minister, and said they would
press that point when the Diet returns next week.

Toshiyuki Shikata, professor of security at Teikyo University, said that he
thinks it is not bad that politicians, even members of Cabinet, suggest
controversial issues be broached for discussion, as long as the suggestions
do not go against the Constitution.

"Japanese people have been avoiding discussion of nuclear armament of Japan
as if it were taboo, even though the nuclear armament of Japan is not
against the Constitution," said Shikata.

Shikata is among those calling for nuclear disarmament, because he
considers the disadvantages greater than the advantages if Japan had
nuclear arms. "From the point of view of foreign countries, Japan has the
possibility to arm itself with nuclear weapons in terms of technologies and
finance. Therefore, I think that we would be able to reach more stable and
realistic nuclear disarmament stance if we deliberately discuss merits and
demerits of nuclear armament of Japan," Shikata said.


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