安倍改造内閣が発足
右派登用めだつも、慎重なスタート
右派登用めだつも、慎重なスタート
川崎哲（集団的自衛権問題研究会）
９月３日、第二次安倍改造内閣が発足した。報道では、５人の女性を閣僚にすえたことから「女性登用」、また谷垣禎一元総裁を幹事長にすえたことで「挙党態勢」「党内融和」といったキーワードが流れている。集団的自衛権をめぐる防衛・安保政策としてはどのような特徴がみてとれるだろうか。
防衛大臣兼安保法制担当大臣に任命された江渡聡徳氏は、青森県出身の衆議院議員（５期目。１９９６年に初当選）で、第一次安倍改造内閣、福田康夫内閣、そして先の第二次安倍内閣において防衛副大臣をつとめている。「安保政策に精通している」との評である。
防衛相と安保法制相が兼任になること自体が、安保法制相を新設する意義を疑わせるものである。安倍首相が当初、石破茂氏を安保法制相に任命しようとして固辞されたことが報じられているが、専門的力量をもつ閣僚をこれらのポストにあてることが容易でなかったことが想像される。
江渡氏は集団的自衛権の閣議決定をめぐる与党協議のメンバーでなかったが、報道によれば、「安倍政権で２度も防衛副大臣を務め、首相の安全保障政策を理解している」ことが決め手になったとされている。
江渡氏のホームページには、「国際貢献 日本の外交を元気にします」というセクションに、国際テロの防止・根絶、そのための国際協調、インド洋での給油活動の重要性といった政策とともに「日本が国際的責務を果たすためには、日米安保体制を堅持し、その信頼性をいっそう高めることが必要」との基本姿勢が書かれている。
また青森出身の衆議院議員として「我が青森県は、陸・海・空自衛隊基地ならびに、米軍三沢基地があります。その特性を活かしながら、さらには地域振興へ全力で取り組みます」とも書かれている。
防衛副大臣時代には「防衛省改革検討委員会」の委員長をつとめた。「自衛隊をより積極的・効率的に機能させる」ためとして、「背広組と制服組の意識改革が一番大事」、「防衛省内の一体化や任務の円滑な遂行」の実現を説いている。「背広組の官僚だけではなく、自衛隊幹部とも酒を酌み交わすなどして信頼を得てきた」（朝日新聞）との評がある。
江渡氏は、「みんなで靖国神社に参拝する国会議員の会」、「日本の前途と歴史教育を考える国会議員の会」、「日本会議国会議員懇談会」といった右派・保守系の議員の会に所属している。
しかし就任にあたっての記者会見では、日中関係について「これからも防衛交流を一歩一歩、着実に進めながら、様々なレベルで対話を働きかけないといけない」と述べ、航空機などの衝突を未然に防ぐ「海上連絡メカニズム」構築の必要性を訴えるなど、中国との信頼醸成、衝突回避を重視する姿勢を打ち出した。また「安保法制の整備について、国会審議を通じて国民により理解をしてもらえるような丁寧な説明を心がけていく」としている。沖縄普天間飛行場の辺野古移設に関して「厳しい意見あることも理解している。沖縄県民に理解していただけるように政府一体になって働きかけていきたい」と述べるなど、総じて、慎重なスタートを切ったといえる。
一方、今回の人事では、２０１２年１１月に日本軍「慰安婦」の強制性と日本政府の責任を否定する米紙への意見広告に連名した右派の稲田朋美氏が「安倍氏肝いり」で政調会長に起用され、同じ広告に名を連ね「国防」や「教育改革」を基本理念に掲げる高市早苗氏が総務相につくなど、右派・保守派の登用が目立つ。集団的自衛権の関連法整備のなかでは、１９９９年の周辺事態法の際にそうであったように、自治体の対米軍、対自衛隊の協力が重要な争点となる。その意味で総務相の役割は大きい。
これに対して穏健またはリベラルと目されるのが谷垣禎一幹事長、岸田文雄外相（留任）、小渕優子経産相などである。留任した公明党の太田昭宏国交相と並んで、これらの顔ぶれがどのような独自性を発揮できるかも注目される。極度の右派偏重は避けられたと見ることもできるが、「ライバルを取り込み安倍首相１強」になったとの見方（朝日新聞）も強い。市民による監視が求められる。
２０１４年９月４日
集団的自衛権問題研究会では「News & Review」（月１回発行）を発行しています。どうぞご覧ください。
Abe
Cabinet Reshuffled
Many
right-wing faces, but cautious start
Kawasaki Akira
(Studies
Group on Right to Collective Self-Defense / Peace Boat)
4
September 2014
On
3 September 2014, Japan's Prime Minister Abe Shinzo reshuffled his
Cabinet for the first time since taking office in December 2012.
Media reports repeatedly used certain keywords to describe this new
formation, including “advancement of women” and “party unity”
or “intraparty appeasement.” The former relates to the reshuffled
Cabinet having five female ministers; and the latter to the
appointment of the former President of the ruling Liberal Democratic
Party (LDP) Tanigaki Sadakazu as the party's Secretary General. What
does this new formation tell us about defense and security policy,
particularly in relation to the right to collective self-defense?
Eto
Akinori, appointed as Defense Minister and Minister in Charge of
Security Legislation, is a Lower House Member from Aomori Prefecture
(elected five times since 1996). He served as the Senior
Vice-Minister of Defense during Abe’s first cabinet in 2007, during
the Fukuda cabinet from 2007 to 2008, and then also during Abe’s
second cabinet from 2012 to just before this reshuffling. He has a
reputation as an expert in security policy.
The
very fact that the Defense Minister and the Minister in Charge of
Security Legislation are concurrently served by the same person leads
us to question the purpose of the latter post, a position established
specifically to set laws regarding the implementation of the right to
collective self-defense. According to news reports, Prime Minister
Abe first planned to appoint former LDP Secretary General Ishiba
Shigeru to this post, but this offer was firmly refused due to
differences in their approaches to security policy.
Although
Mr Eto was not a member of the ruling parties' consultation that
created the foundation of the 1 July 2014 Cabinet decision on the
right to collective self-defense, his experience as Senior
Vice-Minister of Defense in the two Abe cabinets as well as his deep
understanding of Prime Minister Abe's security policy became the
decisive factor for this appointment, according to media reports.
On
Mr Eto’s website, his policy on international affairs is stated
under the section “International Contribution ― Reinvigorating
Japanese Diplomacy”. According to this page, he believes that “in
order for Japan to assume international responsibility, firmly
maintaining the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, and enhancing its
credibility is a necessity”. This, he says, is in addition to the
prevention and eradication of international terrorism, international
cooperation needed to achieve this goal, as well as the importance of
the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) refueling US vessels on anti-terrorism
missions in the Indian Ocean.
Furthermore,
as a native and therefore representative of Aomori Prefecture, his
website also states that; “Aomori hosts the Bases of Ground,
Maritime and Air SDF, as well as the U.S. Air Base Misawa. Utilizing
these characteristics, I shall make my best efforts to promote the
region”.
During
his time as Senior Vice-Minister, Mr Eto served as Chair of the
Defense Ministry Reform Committee. At this time he promoted
increasing “efficiency” in the defense sector, meaning better
communication, coordination, and integration between uniformed
personnel in the Maritime, Air, and Ground SDF and civil officers at
the Defense Ministry. This in part is about removing bureaucratic
barriers between the organizations, but could also imply a challenge
to “civilian control”, through having more voices from uniformed
personnel who are supposed to be under the instruction of civilians.
The Asahi Shimbun daily newspaper reported that "he has gained
the trust of both uniformed personnel and civil officers".
Mr
Eto belongs to several right-wing nationalist Diet members’ groups,
including the “Visiting the Yasukuni Shrine Together”, “Diet
Members to Discuss Japanese Future and History Education”, and
“Diet Members affiliated with Nippon Kaigi (Japan Conference)”
groups.
All
in all, however, he has started off his new post cautiously. At the
first press conference immediately after the Cabinet reshuffling, Mr
Eto presented a prudent attitude on Sino-Japanese relations, in that
he places importance on building confidence between the two countries
and avoiding armed conflicts. He said, “It is necessary to pursue
opportunities for dialogue at various levels”, and spoke about the
importance of arranging a “marine communication mechanism”, to
prevent plane crashes and other incidents. He also stated that “on
matters related to security legislation, I will endeavour to provide
detailed explanations to the citizens of Japan through Diet
proceedings”. Regarding the relocation of the Futenma Air Station
to Henoko, Okinawa, he said, “I understand that there are opinions
held that are opposed to the proposal. The government shall try to
supplicate the understanding of the people in Okinawa”.
On
the other hand, in the reshuffling more right-wing nationalists were
appointed as Cabinet or LDP leadership members than before. For
instance, Inada Tomomi was appointed as the new Chair of the LDP
Policy Research Council with the strong backing of Mr Abe. In
November 2012, Ms Inada listed herself as an assenter in an
advertisement run in a U.S. newspaper denying Japan's responsibility
regarding "comfort women" during World War II. Takaichi
Sanae, also listed in the same advertisement, was appointed as
Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications. This position
carries particular importance in security legislation because local
authorities' cooperation would be required to enable the U.S. Forces
and the SDF to work effectively in contingencies.
It
should also be noted that there are some moderate or liberal members,
such as LDP Secretary General Tanigaki Sadakazu who places importance
on improving relations with China, Minister for Foreign Affairs
Kishida Fumio (remaining) from Hiroshima, and Minister of Economy,
Trade and Industry Obuchi Yuko who is known to be cautious about
nuclear power. It is worth closely watching how the distinctive
characters of these members can be brought forward, together with
that of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism Minister Ota
Akihiro - the only remaining minister from New Komeito, the junior
party of the ruling coalition which positions itself as a “peace
party”. Some believe that a complete right-wing dominated
government has been avoided. Others, however, observe that Prime
Minister Abe tactfully incorporated possible opposing forces into the
Cabinet so he can eventually control them under his dominant
leadership.
Citizens
must monitor the performance of this newly formulated government.
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