November 25, 2003

To Prime Minister Jyun-ichiro Koizumi

Request for Not Sending Self-Defense Forces to Iraq

The government of Japan is now contemplating a dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) based on the Special Legislation Calling for Assistance in the Rebuilding of Iraq (Special Legislation). Japan Confederation of Railway Workers’ Unions (JRU) strongly opposes to this SDF dispatch plan to Iraq.

Iraq War was forcefully evoked without any consent or any UN resolution by the preemptive attack of the US and UK armies. This is an act of destruction against the international orders that are supposed to be the one with the UN as its center. The fact that the government of Japan supported the war of aggression by the US and UK governments shows its priority on the US-Japan Security Treaty and contradicts the UN centered policy. Weapons of mass destruction, the pretext used for the start of the war have never been found, and there is a growing international criticism in regard to the justification on the use of forces.

The Iraqi war is a war of aggression by the US and UK, and the military occupation is clearly a violation of laws. The Special Legislation enables SDF to be dispatched in order to support “reconstruction under military occupation.” This is clearly against the spirit of the Japanese Constitution. We should not send SDF based on this Special Legislation.

In addition, the security in Iraq is deteriorating and even the US military says, “It is hard to distinguish combat and non-combat areas.” If we send SDF resulting in any causalities among SDF personnels, Japan will be drawn into the “the War on Terrorism” without any choice. Not only in Iraq, but also in many places in the world, the anti-US terrorism has been occuring consecutively, and Japan is now being warned as, “Japan is also a target.” The Japanese government only repeats its cooperation with the US and they never explain about the risk to be incurred when Japan extends all-out cooperation with the War on Terrorism.

Japan has a war-renouncing Constitution Article 9. Now is the time for us to abide by the Peace Constitution, and appeal a peaceful solution on international conflicts to the people in the world to establish a respectable position in the international society. We should not dispatch SDF. In regard to the reconstruction of Iraq, we should make efforts on humanitarian and reconstruction support as well as economic aid under the supervision of the UN.

JRU requests to the government of Japan not to send SDF to Iraq.

Yuji Oda
Japan Confederation of Railway Workers Unions
President