allesennogwat
05-25-2007, 08:20 AM
AFP-Friday May 25
Japan needs cluster bombs to protect itself and opposes an international ban on the weapons being discussed in Peru, the defence minister said Friday.
"There is no substitute to replace them when defending Japan," said Defence Minister Fumio Kyuma.
"What's at issue regarding cluster bombs is when they are used by the side on the offensive. Japan will never use cluster bombs for the purpose of attacking others," he said.
Japan has been officially pacifist since World War II. Its US-imposed 1947 constitution bans the country from even possessing a military.
However, Japan one of the world's best-funded militaries, skirting the constitution by calling its troops the "Self-Defence Forces."
Japan currently has four kinds of cluster bombs, including those that attack helicopters would fire at tanks in a ground invasion, according to the defence ministry.
Cluster bombs contain as many as hundreds of bomblets which scatter over wide areas. Some do not explode on impact and can blow up years later, often when children play with them.
China, Russia and the United States, the largest manufacturers of cluster bombs, oppose a potential ban being discussed in Lima.
Japan is "looking at the balance between the humanitarian and security aspects of the weapons," chief government spokesman Yasuhisa Shiozaki said.
"It is important that many countries sign a treaty to make it effective," he said, referring to the opposition by big powers.
Thirteen Latin American countries have proposed turning their area and the Caribbean basin into a region free of cluster bombs and landmines.
Japan needs cluster bombs to protect itself and opposes an international ban on the weapons being discussed in Peru, the defence minister said Friday.
"There is no substitute to replace them when defending Japan," said Defence Minister Fumio Kyuma.
"What's at issue regarding cluster bombs is when they are used by the side on the offensive. Japan will never use cluster bombs for the purpose of attacking others," he said.
Japan has been officially pacifist since World War II. Its US-imposed 1947 constitution bans the country from even possessing a military.
However, Japan one of the world's best-funded militaries, skirting the constitution by calling its troops the "Self-Defence Forces."
Japan currently has four kinds of cluster bombs, including those that attack helicopters would fire at tanks in a ground invasion, according to the defence ministry.
Cluster bombs contain as many as hundreds of bomblets which scatter over wide areas. Some do not explode on impact and can blow up years later, often when children play with them.
China, Russia and the United States, the largest manufacturers of cluster bombs, oppose a potential ban being discussed in Lima.
Japan is "looking at the balance between the humanitarian and security aspects of the weapons," chief government spokesman Yasuhisa Shiozaki said.
"It is important that many countries sign a treaty to make it effective," he said, referring to the opposition by big powers.
Thirteen Latin American countries have proposed turning their area and the Caribbean basin into a region free of cluster bombs and landmines.