The government led by Prime Minister Kishida Fumio approved introduction of a new military cooperation framework, called the OSA, or the Official Security Assistance program, for the benefit of armed forces and other related organizations, with an objective to enhance security and deterrence capabilities of like-minded countries by way of providing materials and equipment, constructing infrastructure and granting to military and relevant institutions.
A BREAKTHROUGH TOWARD OPEN EXPORT OF WEAPONS
The government explains; The OSA is implemented after making comprehensive judgment over progress of democratization, rule of law and human right situation of recipient countries within the framework of the established Three Principles on Transferring Defense Equipment and in accordance with the Guidelines for Implementation. The supply of materials and equipment and development aid of infrastructure conform to the UN Charter in terms of the usages, and their extra-use beyond objectives and their transfer to a third party are strictly controlled as obligations.
The design, however, practically, represents military assistance.
The Framework is composed of many existing schemes
The OSA program was concretely referred to in the National Security Strategy (NSS) approved last December with an objective ‘to improve security and deterrence capabilities of like-minded countries’, and was confirmed in the Mid-Term Defense Program so that ‘the Self Defense Forces of Japan can transfer equipment to like-minded countries’, ‘armed forces of countries in the Indo-Pacific region can build up their capabilities’ and ‘Japan’s defense industries can grow definitely by expanding markets to sell defense equipment’.
The plan will lead directly to financing to military enterprises and endorsing export of weaponry, thanks to ‘a bill to enhance basis for development and production of defense equipment’, which is currently presented to the Diet for enactment. It will also connect with a ‘defense capability enhancement fund’, which is to be established through ‘a bill to secure financial sources to reinforce defense ability’.
The government will allocate in total \1 trillion in the fiscal 2027 for the four domains, namely the OSA, R&D, infrastructure and cyber security. Concerning the OSA in the 2023 fiscal, a total of 2 billion yen has been appropriated. Reportedly, the figure will rise to a level of dozens of billions.
First recipients to be counted are the Philippines, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Fiji, and the respective armed forces will be provided with warning and surveillance radars, wireless network systems, satellite communication systems, drones and coast guard vessels.
Established rules to be changed
At this moment the OSA is limited to the range of existing three rules on transfer of military equipment, or it prohibits export of lethal weapons. According to media reports, however, the government is discussing possibilities to export lethal weapons and to provide assistance to countries under threats of invasion and armed conflicts by way of changing the said criteria. The ruling bloc will start to review them. If the norms alter, the OSA’s framework will automatically enlarge.
The government has a policy to combine the ODA with the OSA to foster networking among the like-minded countries.
The existing ODA guidelines provide basically non-military, human security aids, rejecting martial purposes and preventing escalation of international conflicts. But the government commits in a draft to revise these procedures, trying to incorporate activities to benefit marine security and cooperation with like-minded nations. Thus, the government will be allowed to make arbitrary judgment, saying that a separate review is to be made to help law enforcement entities for peace and stability.
The OSA plan ignores both Article Nine of the Constitution, which specifies renunciation of a war, and the exclusively defensive posture in the national security policy, being dangerous and absurd, as it spends tax money to urge military race, strengthen the policy to contain China, push developing nations into indebtedness, enrich military industries and export weapons abroad.
ＯＳＡの実施は、「防衛装備移転三原則と運用指針の枠内で、相手国の民主化、法の支配、人権状況等を総合的に判断」し、「資機材やインフラの国連憲章…に適合した使用と目的外使用や第三者移転の管理を義務化」などというが、軍事援助に変わりはない。
多くの制度を結合
このＯＳＡは、昨年12月の国家安全保障戦略で「同志国の安保能力・抑止力を向上」とされ、防衛力整備計画では「自衛隊の装備の同志国への移転」や「インド太平洋地域の各国軍等の能力構築」、「防衛装備の販路拡大による防衛産業の成長性確保」などとしたものの具体化。
また、今国会提出の「防衛装備開発・生産基盤強化法案」での軍需企業への財政支援や武器輸出の推進、「防衛力強化財源確保法案」で創設の「防衛力強化資金」にも直結する。
政府はＯＳＡと研究開発、インフラ整備、サイバー安保の四分野に、27年度に計１兆円、ＯＳＡも今年度は20億円だが数百億円規模に拡充方向とも。
最初のＯＳＡはフィリピン、マレーシア、バングラデシュ、フィジーの軍などに警戒監視レーダーや無線システム、衛星通信、ドローン、警備艇などを想定している。
三原則もＯＤＡも
一方、現時点ではＯＳＡは殺傷能力ある武器の輸出は想定していない現防衛装備移転三原則の「枠内」とされたが、すでに政府は三原則を変え、殺傷能力を持つ武器輸出と、侵略や武力で威嚇を受けている国を対象にすることも検討中という。与党も近く三原則の見直しに入る方向で、三原則が変わればＯＳＡの枠組みも拡がる仕組みだ。
また、政府はＯＳＡとＯＤＡを両輪に同志国ネットワークの拡充を図る方針という。
現Ｏ Ｄ Ａ 大綱では、「非軍事」や「人間の安全保障」が基本で、軍事的用途や国際紛争の助長は回避の方針だが、作業中のＯＤＡ大綱改定案では「海洋安保に資する取組」や「同志国との連携」が登場し、「平和と安定に資する法執行機関への支援は個別に検討」と、政府の恣意的判断が可能に。
ＯＳＡは９条も専守防衛も無視。軍拡を外に拡げ、中国包囲と途上国への恩着せと軍需企業支援と武器輸出を税金でという危険な愚挙だ。
英訳版↓
No. 1305 Established New Military Architecture
The government led by Prime Minister Kishida Fumio approved introduction of a new military cooperation framework, called the OSA, or the Official Security Assistance program, for the benefit of armed forces and other related organizations, with an objective to enhance security and deterrence capabilities of like-minded countries by way of providing materials and equipment, constructing infrastructure and granting to military and relevant institutions.
A BREAKTHROUGH TOWARD OPEN EXPORT OF WEAPONS
The government explains;
The OSA is implemented after making comprehensive judgment over progress of democratization, rule of law and human right situation of recipient countries within the framework of the established Three Principles on Transferring Defense Equipment and in accordance with the Guidelines for Implementation. The supply of materials and equipment and development aid of infrastructure conform to the UN Charter in terms of the usages, and their extra-use beyond objectives and their transfer to a third party are strictly controlled as obligations.
The design, however, practically, represents military assistance.
The Framework is composed of many existing schemes
The OSA program was concretely referred to in the National Security Strategy (NSS) approved last December with an objective ‘to improve security and deterrence capabilities of like-minded countries’, and was confirmed in the Mid-Term Defense Program so that ‘the Self Defense Forces of Japan can transfer equipment to like-minded countries’, ‘armed forces of countries in the Indo-Pacific region can build up their capabilities’ and ‘Japan’s defense industries can grow definitely by expanding markets to sell defense equipment’.
The plan will lead directly to financing to military enterprises and endorsing export of weaponry, thanks to ‘a bill to enhance basis for development and production of defense equipment’, which is currently presented to the Diet for enactment. It will also connect with a ‘defense capability enhancement fund’, which is to be established through ‘a bill to secure financial sources to reinforce defense ability’.
The government will allocate in total \1 trillion in the fiscal 2027 for the four domains, namely the OSA, R&D, infrastructure and cyber security. Concerning the OSA in the 2023 fiscal, a total of 2 billion yen has been appropriated. Reportedly, the figure will rise to a level of dozens of billions.
First recipients to be counted are the Philippines, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Fiji, and the respective armed forces will be provided with warning and surveillance radars, wireless network systems, satellite communication systems, drones and coast guard vessels.
Established rules to be changed
At this moment the OSA is limited to the range of existing three rules on transfer of military equipment, or it prohibits export of lethal weapons. According to media reports, however, the government is discussing possibilities to export lethal weapons and to provide assistance to countries under threats of invasion and armed conflicts by way of changing the said criteria. The ruling bloc will start to review them. If the norms alter, the OSA’s framework will automatically enlarge.
The government has a policy to combine the ODA with the OSA to foster networking among the like-minded countries.
The existing ODA guidelines provide basically non-military, human security aids, rejecting martial purposes and preventing escalation of international conflicts. But the government commits in a draft to revise these procedures, trying to incorporate activities to benefit marine security and cooperation with like-minded nations. Thus, the government will be allowed to make arbitrary judgment, saying that a separate review is to be made to help law enforcement entities for peace and stability.
The OSA plan ignores both Article Nine of the Constitution, which specifies renunciation of a war, and the exclusively defensive posture in the national security policy, being dangerous and absurd, as it spends tax money to urge military race, strengthen the policy to contain China, push developing nations into indebtedness, enrich military industries and export weapons abroad.
May 3, 2023