To rectify Japan's impractical limits on joining U.N. peacekeeping operations (PKO), Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada has called for a review of Japan's five-point principle on PKO participation.

The principle, incorporated in the 1992 PKO law, states that PKO participation should be contingent on: (1) existence of a ceasefire agreement between parties to a conflict, (2) agreement by the parties concerned, including the country where a PKO is carried out, on Japan's participation, (3) the strictly neutral stance of the PKO being carried out, (4) immediate withdrawal if any of these conditions is not met, and (5) the rule that weapons will be used only in self-defense.

As of the end of September, only 39 Japanese people were engaged in PKOs, compared with South Korea's 400 and China's 2,147, though Japan's financial contribution to the U.N. PKO budget is the second largest (19.6 percent) after the United States (25.9 percent). Mr. Okada said the government will study whether the law that includes the principle is hindering Japan's PKO participation or whether it is a case of the Self-Defense Forces and the police being reluctant to participate.

Recently, the nature of conflicts and the roles of PKOs have changed. In some conflicts, it is unclear who the directly concerned parties are. Some PKOs are organized to stabilize social and political situations unrelated to military conflict. These situations were not foreseen when the PKO law was enacted.

Japan has already relaxed the rule on the use of weapons to enable defense of not only Japanese PKO members but also U.N. workers and PKO members from other countries being in the same place as Japanese members. The SDF can now take part in activities such as supervising a ceasefire, disarming parties to a conflict, going on patrol and collecting abandoned weapons.

The government should seek ways to expand Japan's PKO participation consistent with the spirit of the war-renouncing Constitution and the Democratic Party of Japan's principle of Japan having autonomous judgment and democratic control. It also should focus on PKOs in which Japan's ability can be best utilized.