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Tuesday April 16, 2002 Japan readies bills to expand military's role in case of foreign attacks TOKYO (AP) - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's ruling party prepared new rules Tuesday that expand Japan's military role and give the government new powers in case of foreign attacks, a move denounced by opponents as trampling civil rights. The measures are designed to give a greater latitude to the prime minister and the Self Defence Forces in time of military emergency. Debate over the factious issue dates back to the 1970s. Their adoption would be a victory for Koizumi, who swept to power last year on pledges to bolster Japan's military. His cabinet was expected to approve a set of three bills, before sending them to Parliament. Japan has no detailed laws outlining how its forces may mobilize in the case of military attack or imminent attack from abroad. But penning such guidelines have traditionally drawn fire from critics who say they stoke militarism and run afoul of the Japan's post-Second World War pacifist constitution. The push for the current set of bills got a major boost by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, as well as a December gunbattle between the Japanese Coast Guard and a suspected North Korean spy boat. Koizumi insisted those incidents highlighted the need for better home defences. Under the proposed laws, the prime minister would have greater power to take steps to counter attacks and order local authorities to implement defensive measures. A special task force would also be appointed to manage such crises. The country's defence chief would also have greater leeway in setting up military facilities in areas of conflict and deploying troops, possibly on private land, local media reports said. Restrictions on the military's use of firearms would also be relaxed. Additionally, ordinary citizens and private entities would be obliged to obey government orders to provide the military fuel or food and face penalties for refusing. Opponents say the bills dangerously restrict civil rights to needlessly confer extra powers on the prime minister and defence chief. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax http://taxes.yahoo.com/ --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9617B Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
