Japan's new defense outline to be effective from April 2005

Japan adopted a new defense policy guideline Friday that names China and DPRK as concerns for the first time and introduces major policy shifts, such as a more active role for the Self-Defense Forces in international peace activities.

With the Cabinet's approval of the new National Defense Program Outline, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda issued a statement announcing a relaxation of Japan's arms exports ban to enable sales of missile defense components to the United States.

The outline, revised to reflect measures to respond to new threats such as terrorism, also says Japan will further strengthen its alliance with the United States, such as by being ''proactive in bilateral strategic dialogue on security issues.''

But it also mentions for the first time the need to reduce the burden on residents living near U.S. bases while maintaining U.S. deterrence.

The new outline stipulates a downsizing of the SDF, including a cut of 5,000 ground troops to 155,000 -- a compromise reached in last-minute talks on Wednesday between the Defense Agency and the Finance Ministry after two months of tough negotiations.

The Cabinet also approved a new midterm defense buildup program for fiscal 2005-2009 under which the next five-year budget will be cut to about 24.24 trillion yen from the previous 25.16 trillion yen.

The budget includes 500 billion yen designated for the introduction of a missile defense system over the next five years.

''China, which has significant influence on the region's security, is pushing forward its nuclear and missile capabilities and modernization of its navy and air force,'' the policy outline says. ''It is also trying to expand its scope of naval activities and attention must be paid to these developments.''

In a statement issued the same day, Defense Agency Director General Yoshinori Ono called for attention to China, citing ''the recent case in which a Chinese submarine intruded into Japanese waters.''

The outline was apparently also referring to heightened bilateral tensions over natural gas development projects in the East China Sea.

The document points to DPRK's military moves as ''a significantly unstable factor in regional security and a serious problem for global nonproliferation efforts.''

The previous outline in 1995 had avoided referring to specific countries of concern by name.

On arms exports, Hosoda's statement says Japan will exempt arms parts related to missile defense when the ongoing Japan-U.S. joint research moves to the development and production stages.

In the case of arms exports related to other joint projects with the United States and contributions for international antiterrorism operations, the government will decide on a case-to-case basis, the statement says.

Since 1976, Japan has maintained a blanket ban on arms exports regardless of the destinations. But the transfer of military technology to the United States has been an exception since 1983.

The outline also stipulates a more proactive role for Japanese troops in international peace operations and expands the territorial scope for SDF activities to cover the Middle East.

Hosoda's statement said legislative measures will be taken to refine the categorization of international peace activities under SDF duties, implying that the government is ready to upgrade such overseas operations to a ''principal duty'' of the SDF.

In order to respond to new threats such as terrorism, the proliferation of ballistic missiles and possible attacks from non-state actors, the SDF will be streamlined and shall transform into a multifunctional, flexible and effective force, the outline also says.

The outline, which sets out Japan's defense policies for the next 10 years, will be reviewed in five years or when a major change in security situations occurs. The midterm buildup plan is to be revised in three years or in the case of a revision of the policy guideline.

The new outline is the second revision since it was first compiled in 1976 and will replace the current 1995 outline beginning April 2005.

The five-year midterm program will be effective from April 2005.

Source: Kyodo News