THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
December 3, 2022 at 14:53 JST
A Dec. 2 meeting of lawmakers from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and junior coalition partner Komeito formally approves giving Japan the capability to strike enemy bases that are preparing to attack. (Naoki Matsuyama)
The ruling coalition on Dec. 2 formally approved a drastic change in Japan’s exclusively defensive posture that is bound to have wide ramifications.
Lawmakers from the Liberal Democratic Party and junior coalition partner Komeito agreed that Japan needs to possess the capability to strike enemy bases that are preparing to attack.
This will open the door for the development of long-range missiles that could one day be launched to prevent such emergency situations from arising.
After the Dec. 2 meeting, Itsunori Onodera, a former defense minister who headed the LDP delegation in the discussions, told reporters, “This is a major change in Japan’s defense framework.”
Later the same day, Natsuo Yamaguchi, the Komeito leader, told reporters, “This was the result of a fundamental review of what Japan’s defense should be so that the concerns of the public can be resolved and to respond to the recent severe changes in the national security environment.”
The agreement will be reflected in revisions of three defense documents the government plans to complete by year-end, including the National Security Strategy.
In agreeing on the new strike capability, Komeito showed little hesitancy in going against its long-held pacifist image.
Party sources said that repeated recent missile launches by North Korea and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February drove home to many of those in the party and among its supprters that the global security environment had radically changed and required a new capability.
Despite the massive shift in Japan’s defense posture, most Komeito lawkers were more interested in proposed legislation to restrict donations to organizations and religious groups like the Unification Church, according to sources.
The bill is intended to address concerns about huge donations to the Unification Church, formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, that left donors in dire financial straits.
Komeito’s main support group, Soka Gakkai, is a leading Buddhist organization.
(Nobuhiko Tajima contributed to this article.)
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