Japan Defense Report Urges New Patriotism

Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone’s government Wednesday issued an appeal to the Japanese people to “love their country” and develop the will to defend it.

In an annual defense “white paper” approved by the Cabinet, the Defense Agency reiterated a declaration, first made in 1980, that the Soviet Union’s military buildup poses “a potential threat” to Japan. But it said little new about the nature of that threat.

Instead, in what a Defense Agency official called the main feature of the white paper, the agency appealed “for each individual to recognize the importance of defense, to love this important, wonderful country and to possess a strong will to defend it.” It called such a feeling “the most essential element for the defense of Japan.”

“The Self-Defense Forces can truly become a force to the defend the nation . . . only when supported by such a perception,” the paper added.

Effort to Mute Controversy

The position paper--approved as Nakasone was reported moving toward lifting a 1% limit of the nation’s gross national product on defense spending--appeared designed to avoid controversy.

It spelled out the Defense Agency’s policies and view of military conditions surrounding Japan and acknowledged “the importance of defending sea lanes” but said nothing directly about a promise Japan made to the United States in 1981 to defend two sea lanes out to a distance of 1,000 miles.

Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger has urged the Japanese to achieve the 1,000-mile capability by 1990, and both houses of the U.S. Congress have passed resolutions supporting that request.

As if to underscore the fragile nature of public support for defense, the agency cited the results of an opinion survey taken last November in which 54% of those polled refused to say they would fight if Japan were attacked, even though 61% agreed that there was at least some danger of Japan’s becoming involved in war.

The white paper bemoaned that less than 10% of those polled “believe the Self-Defense Forces are effective in maintaining the security of the nation.” Instead, most consider the military establishment’s principal role to be disaster relief.

“The deterrent role of the Self-Defense Forces, which cannot be seen visibly, is very difficult for the people to understand,” the document said.

Public Indifference

It also complained of a public “tendency to emotionally reject or remain indifferent to defense problems,” a “lack of concern about building up Japan’s own defenses or about strengthening the credibility of the U.S.-Japan security treaty,” and even a view that defense efforts themselves threaten to involve Japan in a war.

The white paper indirectly appealed for greater arms spending by citing a long list of deficiencies in Japan’s military capabilities.

The nation’s forces, it noted, continue to operate with 1950s-vintage F-104 jet fighters, with tanks designed 25 years ago, with antiquated radar equipment and with World War II-vintage artillery. The country also lacks adequate air transport capacity, ship defense, and modern command and communications systems. Its troops are insufficiently trained and could not sustain fighting should war begin, the paper also said.

The white paper reported no substantial increase in the number of Soviet SS-20 intermediate-range nuclear missiles deployed in East Asia, saying only that “more than 135” of those weapons have been deployed in the region. Last year, the agency said 135 SS-20s had been deployed.

An increase of five Soviet TU-22M long-range Backfire bombers--to 85--was reported.

The Defense Agency acknowledged that Japan has received a specific request from the United States for transfer of military technology--the nature of which it did not specify--and said only that the government is studying how to respond.