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Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer per 1.4 (b/d)
1. (C) Summary: The ruling Liberal Democratic Party's efforts
to pass a Permanent Dispatch Law will require the support of
ruling coalition partner Komeito Party, which to date has not
embraced the plan to allow the government the authority to
dispatch Self-Defense Forces abroad. As the Komeito's
primary supporter, the Buddhist organization Soka Gakkai's
views matter. The president of the Soka Gakkai, in a recent
conversation with Embassy Tokyo, indicated that his once
staunchly pacifist members are coming around on the issue of
the Permanent Dispatch legislation, provided the right
Constitutional and legislative conditions are in place. "The
time has come for Japan to contribute more to international
peacekeeping...the time for one-country pacifism is over," he
said. End summary.
2. (C) The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is seeking
to pass a "Permanent Dispatch" Law, which would eliminate the
need to pass separate authorizations for each overseas
deployment. The most recent example is the legislation to
allow Japan to rejoin OEF-related refueling activities in the
Indian Ocean). To that end, the LDP has been consulting with
coalition partner Komeito Party, which to date has not
offered support for Permanent Dispatch legislation (reftel).
However, in a conversation with Embassy Tokyo Political
Minister Counselor on January 30, Minoru Harada, the
president of Soka Gakkai, the Buddhist lay organization that
is Komeito's primary supporter, said that the time has come
for Japan to "contribute more" to international peacekeeping.
That said, certain conditions would have to be imposed for
these activities, including that they fall within the
constraints of Japan's Constitution, have the Diet's approval
and are in support of a UN-sanctioned operation, Harada
explained. Furthermore, restrictions on the use of weapons
will also be needed, he said.
3. (C) With these conditions in mind, the Komeito Party will
continue to develop its policy on the Permanent Dispatch
legislation and will seek the general public's understanding,
he continued. Regardless, "the time for one-country
pacifism, such as that espoused by the Communist Party and
the Socialist Party, is over." The public recognizes that
there is a need for Japan to contribute more internationally,
Harada stressed.
4. (C) Responding to a question about whether Soka Gakkai's
Women's and Youth Bureaus would offer resistance to a
Permanent Dispatch Law, Harada said that while these groups
believe strongly in building peace, they are also aware that
pacifism is not the right way to make a true contribution to
international peacebuilding and peacekeeping efforts. In an
era of globalization, the pursuit of peace requires
international contributions, and Japan must be prepared to
shoulder its share of responsibility, Harada said.
5. (C) Soka Gakkai has once before had to deal with staking a
position related to international peacekeeping efforts. At
the time of the Gulf War, although Komeito was then in the
opposition, it nonetheless supported the decision for Japan
to make a multi-billion dollar contribution. Harada
explained, with a laugh, that Soka Gakkai (SGI) leaders had
explained to the rank-and-file that there were SGI believers
in the U.S. Armed Forces, and that some U.S. warships had
Buddhist alters for SGI worship services, a fact that
persuaded most to drop their opposition to aiding the United
States. In the same way the Women's Bureau and others were
convinced of the need to make an international contribution
during the Gulf War, today's Soka Gakkai leadership will be
able to win over doubters within its ranks, Harada predicted.
SCHIEFFER
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