Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Japan Times
June 1, 2008 By 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.
June 1, 2008 By 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.