Japan’s new leader calls for military expansion
JAPAN’S Prime Minister Fumio Kishida yesterday called for increases in Japan’s military capability and spending, in response to what he described as growing threats from China and North Korea, in a public debate with eight other political party leaders ahead of upcoming national elections.
The party leaders also discussed ways to mend the pandemic-hit economy and respond to any future waves of the coronavirus, issues expected to feature prominently in the October 31 elections.
As head of the governing Liberal Democratic Party, Mr Kishida was selected prime minister earlier this month and called the election for the 465-seat lower house, the more powerful of Japan’s two-chamber Diet, or parliament.
He said he is seeking a public mandate for his leadership and policies. Official campaigning for the election begins today.
Mr Kishida said Japan’s security environment has been rapidly changing. He noted that North Korea probably possesses several hundred missiles capable of reaching Japan, and said Japan should consider acquiring the ability to strike back at an enemy base as a deterrence option allowable under international law. Pre-emptive strike and strikeback options are controversial and critics say they go beyond Japan’s war-renouncing constitution, which strictly limits the use of force to selfdefence.
“We have to prepare for realistic possibilities to protect our people and discuss a wide range of options,” he added.
Separately yesterday, chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno also proposed stepping up Japan’s missile defence capability, noting China’s reported test of a supersonic missile in August.
Mr Matsuno called it a “new threat” that conventional equipment have difficulty dealing with. He said Japan will step up its detection, tracking and shooting-down capability of “any aerial threat”.
Mr Kishida has started to shed his moderate image, apparently to gain support within his party, which is controlled by right-wing heavyweights including former prime minister Shinzo Abe.
Mr Kishida did not explain how he would gain support from his coalition partner, the pacifist Komeito party, whose leader, Natsuo Yamaguchi, recently questioned the governing party’s plan to possibly double the defence budget cap to 2%.
Mr Yamaguchi has said the public would not approve of a sharp defence budget increase when money should be spent on economic stimulus and social welfare in a country with a fast-ageing and declining population.
Mizuho Fukushima, head of the Social Democratic Party of Japan was the only woman in the debate.
A lawyer active in human rights issues, Ms Fukushima said she will promote gender equality, sexual diversity and a society without nuclear energy. Asked if they support legislation guaranteeing equality for sexual minorities and allowing separate surnames for married couples, all except Mr Kishida said yes.