Newsletter No. 1220
News-Analysis
December 13, 2008

 

RULING PARTIES PUSH THROUGH ANOTHER MSDF INDIAN OCEAN EXTENSION

For the second year in a row, the ruling parties used their House of Representatives supermajority to push through another year-long extension of the MSDF mission in the Indian Ocean. Frankly, I’m feeling a little outrage fatigue on this one, and I don’t think I’m alone. By this point, the ruling parties are so far beyond the realm of democratic political legitimacy that it seems almost preposterous to raise the issue once again. The Taro Aso regime is now polling around 20% approval, and the ruling parties interpret this as a mandate to continue avoiding a general election. This past week they were actually talking about undoing Prime Minister Koizumi’s post office reforms –- the central issue that allowed them to gain their lower house supermajority in the first place. In that context, the contempt they are showing the public will over the Indian Ocean mission seems to pale in comparison.

I think that almost everyone has gotten tired of this battle by now. The newspapers have not given as much space to covering this event as previously. I haven’t seen any polls about public opinion on this issue lately, perhaps because the media is no longer as interested in really covering this matter.

Unto Utter Destruction: The New Komeito Imperative

Needless to say, New Komeito finally stuck with the LDP once again, as they always have in the past. I recently read a New Komeito executive explaining that their party has “no choice” but to maintain their alliance with the LDP. Why on earth would they believe that? What iron hold does the LDP have over New Komeito that they would consider themselves to have “no choice” but to maintain the current coalition, even though everyone can see that it is crumbling? In my view, this is yet one more example of that peculiar Japanese mental paralysis when it comes to political matters -- Japan had “no choice” but to attack Pearl Harbor; “no choice” but to fight the Pacific War until the nation was in ruins; and “no choice” but to support Bush’s invasion of Iraq. It should come as little surprise, perhaps, that New Komeito now has “no choice” but to support the LDP to the bitter end.

Divergent Reactions

Below is a hodgepodge of reactions that show, if nothing else, that no consensus exists on this issue of the MSDF Indian Ocean mission.

Sean McCormack, US State Department spokesman: “It’s very positive. We certainly welcome the decision by the Diet to pass this legislation. Japan has made a great contribution to this effort, and we very much welcome the fact that it will continue.”

Taro Aso, Prime Minister of Japan: “Anti-terror patrols have suppressed and deterred terrorist activities in the Indian Ocean… It is extremely significant for Japan to continue its refueling mission as a member of international society… Japanese forces, which are operating in the Indian Ocean under harsh circumstances, make Japan proud.”

Mitsuo Mitani, Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker: “Forcing through the legislation with a two-thirds majority is a vicious act that tramples on the principle of democracy.”

Thomas Schieffer, US Ambassador to Japan: “As a leading member of the international community, Japan has an important role to play in efforts to support a stable, democratic Afghanistan and in the fight against terrorism.”

Anonymous, senior Japanese government official: “The Afghan government would collapse if the international community pulled out of the country, ending its efforts to fight terrorism there. The fight against terrorism also is indispensable for maintaining the Japan-US alliance. Compared with [a mission] inside Afghanistan, it’s less dangerous at sea and there’s a strong need for fuel.”

Seiken Akamine, Japan Communist Party lawmaker: “The situation in Afghanistan has worsened, and it’s obvious that the use of force cannot eradicate terrorism… We should stop being under the US thumb by continuing to support this war.”

Haron Amin, Ambassador of Afghanistan to Japan: “Japan’s presence is a must… We welcome the decision but hope Japan can do more.”

Mitsuji Fukumoto, NGO Peshawar-kai Secretary-General: “Japan’s involvement through the refueling mission is pointless… The situation in Afghanistan does not call for military engagement, but for better aid on food and water. Japan should consider what it can do for the people of Afghanistan based on its own will, if it truly wants to aid these people. Sending MSDF ships at the request of the United States is not the way to achieve that.”