2/04/2011

The genesis No. 1 (Part Four)-A Question over the Japanese Leftists' Concept of Peace


Those who have not viewed "The genesis No. 1 (Part One, Part Two, and Part Three)" should go through them before going into "The genesis No. 1 (Part Four)" below.
Viewers should acknowledge the following "Rules of the Play" laid down before it began:

1. I try to be accurate when translating all the discourses I came across in preparing for this presentation. 2. I try to be concise enough to point out the aspects possibly related to the play when translating all the discourses I came across in preparing for this presentation. 3. Whatever discourses I translate will remain tentative until I get satisfied with their accuracy.4. I reserve the right to decide which discourses I choose for this play.

Characters of The genesis No. 1 (Part Four):
Mr. Toshio Tamogami is one who is said to represent the silent majority in Japan and ex-Chief of Staff of Japan Air Self-Defense Force from March 2007 to November 2008.
Mr. Nobuteru Ishihara is a member of the House of Representatives at the National Diet of Japan for the Liberal Democratic Party (hereinafter referred to as "LDP").
Mr. Ktsuei Hirasawa is a member of the House of Representatives at the National Diet of Japan for LDP.
Mr. Itchita Yamamoto is a member of the House of Representatives at the National Diet of Japan for LDP.
Mr. Akira Nagashima is a member of the House of Representatives at the National Diet of Japan for the Democratic Party of Japan (hereinafter referred to as "DPJ").
Mr. Kazunori Yamai is a member of the House of Representatives at the National Diet of Japan for DPJ.
Ms.Akira Matsu is a member of the House of Councilors at the National Diet of Japan for the New Clean Government Party (hereinafter referred to as "NCGP").
Mr. Keiji Kakuta is a member of the House of Representatives at the National Diet of Japan for the Japanese Communist Party (hereinafter refereed to as "JCP").
Mr. Tokushin Yamauchi is a member of the House of Councilors at the National Diet of Japan for the Social Democratic Party (hereinafter refereed to as "SDP").
Mr. Hisayuki Miyake is a very popular Japanese political critic and commentator, well-known for the fact that he was an immediate boss of Mr.Takichi Nishiyama who scooped a secret agreement on return of Okinawa to Japan made between President Richard Nixon and Prime Minister Eisaku Sato and who was later arrested for violation of Public Employees Law.
Mr. Toshiyuki Shikata is a critic specialized in self-defense issues, retired General of Japan Ground Self-Defense Force from March 2007 to November 2008.
Mr.Masahiko Katsuya is a columnist, photographer, etc.
Ms.Sawako Agawa is an essayist, talent, etc.
Mr. Makoto Ohtake is a TV personality, talent. etc.
Mr. Takuro Morinaga is an economist, talent, etc.
Mr. Shigeharu Aoyama is President of Japan's Independent Institute Co., Ltd. (access his website for more detailed information  http://bit.ly/glhUgp )
The last video footage in which Mr. Toshio Tamogami is introduced as a controversial man on a popular TV program called "TV Tackle" aired on Feb, 2009


A Summary of Narration: To cope with Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, the Government of Japan decided to explore the possibility of sending the Maritime Self-Defense Force escort ships to the piracy infected area, trying to catch up with other nations having already dispatched the necessary troops to the area.  The Prime Minister of Japan Mr. Aso supported the idea but felt it necessary to revise the existing laws.

The measure to be taken is "With the authorization of the Prime Minister of Japan, the Defense Minister orders JSDF to carry out maritime security operations, albeit limited to protect the Japanese ships with the minimum firing power usable under the limited circumstances."

Mr. Nagashima said: I believe that JSDF's maritime security operations are quite effective. The dispatch of escort ships does not aim to execute "use of force" but to serve as a deterrent by just escorting Japan's commercial ships. (Deliberations in the National Diet)

Mr. Aoyama said: Maritime security operations are conducted on behalf of the Japan Coast Guard. Therefore, the weapons JSDF can use are limited to those used by the Japan Coast Guard. I wonder what they are going to do if Somali pirates use the weapons more destructive than theirs. And, moreover, they will have to just let our allies die without helping if even they are attacked by Somali pirates.

Mr. Yamauchi said: Mr. Tamogami! What you are really thinking is to execute collective self-defense and at the same time to freely use any weapons. (Deliberations in the National Diet)
Mr. Tamogami said: Yes. I think we should do so. (Deliberations in the National Diet)

Mr. Shikata said: Those in uniform believe that Japan's Constitution must be revised. It is a kind of surprise to know that we still have some civilians afraid of JSDF to initiate wars. Politicians will really have to explain to the people that JSDF will not initiate wars. Securing support and understanding from the general public is not a role JSDF has to play.

Mr. Morinaga said: I have one question I want you to clarify. Suppose one unidentified enemy plane has just shot down a US jet fighter in the open sea during a joint exercise of  JSDF fighter planes and US fighter planes. What would you tell your men to deal with this particular situation as Chief of Staff of Japan Air Self-Defense Force?

Mr. Tamogami said: Legally, nothing we can do about it.

Mr. Morinaga said:  Will\you tell your men not to fire back at the enemy planes?

Mr. Tamogami said: Yes, I will have to tell them not to fire back.  But Japan and US alliance will end immediately if Japan doesn't help US. A break-up of Japan and US alliance is bound to happen as long as our existing laws say so.

Ms. Agawa said: What will you do if you are in his position? Mr. Morinaga.

Mr. Morinaga said: Absolutely no. I will never fire back.

Mr. Nagashima said: Will you let them die?

Mr. Morinaga said: Sure, I will.

Mr. Miyake said: You just abandon them and retreat. Right?

Mr. Morinaga said: Yes, I will. Otherwise, we will go into the war.

Mr. Tamogami said: What you are saying right now induces wars. You remember the incidents of the Russian bombers flying over Japan. They know we don't shoot them down. That's why they violate our airspace. They will not enter our airspace again if Japan shoots them down as other nations do.

Mr. Morinaga said: You are saying that we must revise the existing laws, so as to make it legal to shoot them down.

Mr. Tamogami said: Of course.

Mr. Hirasawa said: Japanese abductees didn't swim to North Korea but they were taken there by their spy ships. North Korea has begun its spy ship operations around 1960. Even if we discovered and chased their ships, we didn't do anything more than chasing them up to their territorial waters. That's why they kept abducting the Japanese nationals. If we exercised our military power, we could have stopped their abduction.

Mr. Morinaga said: No, that's not true.

Mr. Tamogami said: Diplomatic negotiations are usually backed up by the military power. It is almost like "If you don't accept what we say, we will destroy you." This is a kind of diplomatic negotiations other major nations have. But Japan practices "If you don't accept what we say, we will discuss it". Nothing can be achieved in this manner.

Mr. Morinaga said: Nevertheless we have maintained peace without getting us involved in any wars at all since the end of WWII.

Ms. Agawa said:  Because we have been protected by USA.

Mr. Morinaga said: That is not true.

Mr. Kakuta said: Now let me ask those (Members of LDP and a member of NCGP) keeping their mouths shut a question of whether Japan was an aggressor or not.  Do you think Japan was not an aggressor?

Ms.Matsu said: Don't be silly.

Mr. Hirasawa said: Mr. Tamogami should not have expressed his views as Chief of Staff of Japan Air Self-Defense Force. 

Mr. Kakuta said:  I'm asking your opinion on his essay.

 Mr. Ishihara said: We don't have to discuss with you at all because the Communist Party doesn't accept "Rising Sun flag" as our national flag and even JSDF.

Mr. Yamamoto said: I find a lot of things not agreeable in his essay but one thing I have to say here for your better understanding. I have discussed revision of Article 9 of our Constitution, so that we will fully recognize JSDF as our national force. As for "Collective Self-Defense", we already have a cabinet decision which says we reserve the right to execute collective self-defense but we don't execute it. The only reason why we haven't changed it so far is that we consider it important to nurture consensus among the general public.



Note: 
Anti-Piracy Measures taken by JSDF under the Anti-Piracy Law (Criminal Code) promulgated on June 24, 2009 and enacted on July 24, 2009.

1. To escort ships passing through the Gulf of Aden
2. To carry out the aerial patrol over the Gulf of Aden

To achieve the above, two escort ships, two reconnaissance planes (P-3C), C-130H, U-4, etc. have been dispatched
3. 村山談話 Murayama danwa has been translated into English as Murayama statement as if to say it is an official statement made in 1995 by Prime Minister of Japan Mr. Murayama (the then chairman of Japan Socialist Party who always opposed Japan's alliance with U.S. , 81st Prime Minister of Japan, the coalition government formed by Liberal Democratic Party, Japan Socialist Party, and New Party Sakigake).
However, "談話 Danwa" literally means "talk" in English. 

 

Now, while you watch two videos below, please think about "A Question over the Japanese Leftists' Concept of Peace" and answer the following poll.

Should Japan revise its Constitution so as to execute its collective self-defense?

Choose one answer.

Yes

No

I don't know


The Hyūga-class helicopter carriers

JDS Kenryu, SS-504

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