The government has dropped plans to seek legislation that would ensure U.S. assistance in evacuating Japanese civilians during emergencies abroad, Defense Agency Chief Fumio Kyuma said April 14.
Bilateral cooperation for evacuation of noncombatants is one of the main features in the updated Japanese-U.S. defense cooperation guidelines adopted last September to deal with emergencies in areas surrounding Japan. Evacuation was to have been included in legislation on implementation of the new guidelines, designed to allow Japan to better assist U.S. forces during emergencies that do not directly involve Japan.
The legislation is expected to be submitted to the current Diet session.