Japan rejects UN request to transport troops in South Sudan

Japan has turned down a UN request to transport military personnel and weapons as part of its peacekeeping operations in crisis-hit South Sudan, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Tuesday. The decision apparently reflects the government's concern that it will go against Japan's Constitution banning the exercise of collective self-defense. "We decided to take a cautious approach to the request after examining various factors, including the handling by other governments and legal aspects," (Kyodo) news agency quoted Suga, the government's top spokesman, as saying at a press conference. Japan currently interprets the Constitution as banning the exercise of collective self-defense, or using military strength to defend an ally under armed attack, given that Article 9 of the pacifist charter forbids the use of force to settle international disputes, Kyodo said. The government decided not to accept the UN request as it would take time to prepare the legal basis at home for allowing the SDF to engage in the mission and because the mission could be conducted by other countries, Japanese officials said. The UN Security Council adopted a resolution in late December to nearly double the force level of the UN Mission in South Sudan. Aside from Japan, the body also asked the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to help send additional personnel. To make greater contributions, Abe seeks to rework Japan's defense posture and lift a self-imposed ban on the right of collective self-defense, with a panel of experts scheduled to compile a report on the matter, according to Kyodo.