Japan defense chief cautious over status upgrade

TOKYO (Reuters) – A plan to upgrade Japan’s Defense Agency
into a full-fledged ministry needs to win public understanding
before the ruling parties can push for its approval, the
agency’s chief said on Tuesday, in a sign that the change was
likely to be delayed.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) had planned to
submit largely symbolic legislation to upgrade the Defense
Agency in the current session of parliament.

But a recent big-rigging scandal involving present and
former Defense Agency officials has slowed the party’s drive
toward the long-sought goal.

“The promotion of the Defense Agency to ministry status has
been a issue for a long time,” Fukushiro Nukaga told reporters.
“Following the scandal we must first make a new start at the
Defense Agency and win public understanding.”

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has cautioned against any
hasty attempt to upgrade the agency.

“It is not something we should rush or hurry up to do,”
Koizumi said on Monday.

The LDP has long been keen on the upgrade, but its junior
coalition partner, the Buddhist-backed Komeito party, has been
less enthusiastic.

“I would like the LDP and the Komeito, as the ruling
parties, to discuss the matter well,” Chief Cabinet Secretary
Shinzo Abe told a separate news conference later on Tuesday.

The envisaged legislation is part of a move by the Japanese
government to regularize the status of its armed forces. One
step would involve revising the pacifist clause of the
U.S.-drafted postwar constitution.

Article 9 of the constitution renounces the right to war as
a means of settling international disputes.

At present, the Defense Agency chief cannot call cabinet
meetings on defense policies or take direct charge of
requesting the annual military budget.

Efforts to revise the 1947 constitution have gained
momentum in recent years as Japan seeks a bigger regional and
global security role.

In November, the LDP adopted a draft of a new constitution
that would recognize the nation’s right to maintain a military
and play a bigger role in global security.

But constitutional revisions face a high hurdle.

Changes require the approval of two-thirds of the members
of both houses of parliament and then a majority of the voters
in a national referendum.