Japan will prepare for the dispatch of its Self-Defense Forces to lend noncombatant support to U.S. forces should Washington take retaliatory action against terrorists, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi announced Wednesday.
In a nationally televised evening news conference, Koizumi declared that Japan will "take swift legal steps" to allow the SDF to engage in logistic, medical and other nonmilitary support for the U.S. in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks in New York and Washington.
Koizumi also said that Maritime Self-Defense Force vessels will be dispatched soon for an intelligence-gathering operation.
"The terrorist attacks were targeted not only at the U.S., but at liberty, peace and democracy in the world," Koizumi told the media at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. "Our government has made an independent decision that we will pursue the eradication of terrorism."
The prime minister, however, provided few details on what kind of support would be extended by the SDF, only saying that the SDF's actions would be limited to those that do not involve "the use of force."
"Article 9 of our Constitution bans the use of force. We, the government, will further discuss what constitutes that and what does not, and we will do what we can."
Asked what kind of steps would be taken to give legal backing to the decision, the prime minister conceded that such steps have not been fully fixed.
"(The SDF's new roles) may be dealt with within the framework of existing laws or they may not be. If so, there may be a need for new legislation," he said, adding that he will discuss legislative procedures with members of the ruling coalition.
Koizumi, who met with the secretaries general of the three ruling parties earlier in the day to lay the groundwork for his 15-minute media appearance, also announced that the government will draft legal revisions to enable the SDF to guard U.S. military installations in Japan, as well as key public facilities.
Such facilities are currently guarded by police.
The prime minister added that Japan is ready to offer humanitarian support to refugees fleeing Afghanistan, where Saudi millionaire Osama bin Ladin -- targeted as the prime suspect behind last week's attacks -- is believed to be hiding.
He also said that Tokyo would provide emergency economic assistance to Pakistan and India to encourage them to "cooperate with the U.S. in response to the current emergency."
Koizumi did not disclose the amount of economic aid, saying only that it would hinge on discussions with the relevant countries.
Japan froze all fresh grants and yen-denominated soft loans to India and Pakistan, except those for humanitarian purposes, after the two countries conducted tit-for-tat nuclear tests in May 1998.
Japan will also cooperate with other countries and take "appropriate steps" to minimize the confusion gripping the economies of Japan and the rest of the world, Koizumi said.
Japan's assistance to the U.S. in the event of a military strike has been the subject of debate, particularly concerning what role the SDF should play in the possible attack.
Japan's war-renouncing Constitution forbids the country from settling international disputes with the use of force.
Tokyo also maintains that although it has the right under international law to assist its allies under attack by another country, its pacifist Constitution does not allow it to exercise that right.
Later in the evening, Koizumi met with Howard Baker, the U.S. Ambassador to Japan, at the Prime Minister's Official Residence to personally convey the contents of Japan's support measures.
Koizumi also told Baker that Tokyo will offer $10 million to a private U.S. group collecting donations for the victims of the terrorist attacks "as a token of sympathy" from Japan, officials said.
Memorial event planned
A memorial service for the victims of last week's terrorist attacks in the United States will be held Sunday in Tokyo, the government announced Wednesday.
The event, to be hosted jointly by America-Japan Society Inc. and the Japanese government, will take place at Tokyo Big Sight in Koto Ward from 2 to 3 p.m.
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is scheduled to attend, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda told a regular news conference.
"This memorial service will be held to mourn for all the people who lost their lives, express our most sincere sympathy for their families and pray those still missing will be found safe and sound," Fukuda said.
The event is open to the public.
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