Sense of crisis fading in Japan

Yomiuri Shimbun, Asia News Network, Tokyo

The terrorist attacks on the United States struck a profound blow to the perception of the Japanese about their national security. Many Japanese fell victim to the attacks. Japan should more extensively debate what should be done to transform itself into a nation well prepared to deal with emergencies.

(Yet) people still tend to be preoccupied with their own peace even at the expense of efforts to play a significant role in defending global security.

In a Yomiuri Shimbun poll taken immediately after the terrorist incident, 87 percent of respondents said Japan should assist U.S. military operations in uprooting international terrorism.

In response to growing sentiment in favor of an international antiterrorism campaign, lawmakers enacted a series of bills related to the country's security during an extraordinary Diet session convened in the autumn of 2001.

The legislation included the Antiterrorism Law, which authorizes the government to dispatch Self-Defense Forces personnel to aid the U.S.-led campaign against terrorism. The UN Peacekeeping Activities Cooperation Law was revised to end the freeze on the SDF's participation in a major mission of U.N. peacekeeping forces.

However, this country seems to have lost its own sense of crisis. After enacting the antiterrorism laws, legislators have become half-hearted in discussing national security issues. Each political party has sought to turn parliamentary debates into political gains. This was demonstrated by lawmakers' failure to pass a set of bills defining the country's response to an armed attack during the last Diet session.

First, the government and the ruling parties were inadequate in their attempt to put the bills through the Diet. Yet the leading opposition party had pledged to improve the nation's preparedness to deal with military emergencies.

The Sept. 11 attacks taught Japan various lessons. Efforts to upgrade the nation's legal framework for war contingencies represent a first step toward defending this country from a military attack. However, this should be complemented by many other measures.

One is to periodically conduct a joint drill involving SDF personnel, police officers and firefighters. September 11 has shown that nations must work together to maintain global peace and order. Japan's efforts to enable itself to join such a global campaign is another task facing this nation.

The Antiterrorism Law is temporary legislation of two-year duration. If another emergency similar to Sept. 11 arises, this country will have to create a new law. This could cause delay in a Japanese response to such circumstances.

This nation must also revise relevant legislation to adapt its rules on the SDF's use of weapons to internationally accepted standards.

The passage of time has left lawmakers and others less acutely aware of the need to make their country better prepared for national emergencies. Politicians could put their nation at risk if they forget their duties in this regard.