(#゜Д゜)ノ英字新聞

Permanent law needed to send SDF overseas
The government must not be allowed to continue hastily devising a stopgap measure to deal with each situation in which Self-Defense Forces personnel must be sent on missions overseas. This is essential to resolutely continue the fight against terrorism.
The delay in considering permanent legislation for the dispatch of SDF troops abroad has been considerable.
The new Antiterrorism Law, which provides the legal basis for the Maritime Self-Defense Force's refueling missions in the Indian Ocean, expires in January next year. There is no time to lose in drafting a permanent law to replace the current Antiterrorism Law, if it is to be passed during an extraordinary Diet session expected to be convened in autumn.
The ruling parties should set up a project team as soon as possible and start comprehensive discussions on the matter.
The ruling parties initially planned to establish the project team in late February. Following a collision between the MSDF Aegis-equipped destroyer Atago and a fishing boat in February, however, New Komeito became reluctant to set up the team, saying the timing and environment were not right. The team has yet to be launched.
Drawing up a permanent bill before the extraordinary Diet session will be difficult unless an outline of such a bill is completed during the current Diet session. If this is not done, the government would be pretty much limited to reextending the Antiterrorism Law.
Ruling parties must act
The Atago-fishing boat collision must be treated separately from the establishment of the permanent SDF dispatch law. New Komeito should actively commit to establishing the ruling parties' project team.
The Democratic Party of Japan also should participate in debate on the permanent law.
The DPJ agreed that the SDF's international peace cooperation activities should become one of its primary duties. The main opposition party incorporated a plan to establish the permanent law in its alternative plan for the new Antiterrorism Law. The DPJ plan was approved by the House of Councillors and sent to the House of Representatives for further deliberation. It is time to set aside partisan differences and consider what the country's contribution to international cooperation should be.
Under what kind of circumstances would SDF troops be dispatched overseas? What kind of missions would they take on? These and other issues should be fully discussed.
Transcending party politics
In late April, a nonpartisan group of junior lawmakers comprising members of the Liberal Democratic Party, DPJ and New Komeito seeking to establish a national security system for the new century resumed its activities for the first time in three years. About 110 lawmakers from the group meet weekly to discuss such issues as the permanent law and the right to collective self-defense.
We hope the group will play its part and thoroughly debate such a law.
Also, what must not be forgotten is the work of a government committee comprised of security and diplomacy experts that is discussing the reestablishment of the legal basis for the national security apparatus. Shunji Yanai, former ambassador to the United States, chairs the panel.
Although the committee, which was established under the administration of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has not met since its last gathering in August, it has decided to submit a report based on its discussions to Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda sometime soon.
It is expected that among the items the report will address is the easing of rules on the use of weapons by SDF troops taking part in international peace cooperation activities to bring them in line with international standards. Such a proposal should be considered during debate on the permanent law.

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