UNEPS included as an integral part of counter-proposal to the new anti-terror bill

*Click the title above to read the Japanese verison of this release.

The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) has announced on Tuesday the outline of their counter-proposal to the new anti-terror law bill that was submitted to the Diet (Japanese parliament) by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. In their 12-point proposal, the DPJ laid out the fundamental principles of their assistance package for Afghanistan. One of the points in the proposal included a provision on establishing a UN Emergency Peace Service or UNEPS.

On the same day, almost all major Japanese newspaper (including the Asahi, Mainichi, and Sankei) covered the UNEPS inclusion in their breaking-news reports. Most notably, The Sankei Shinbum reported that the proposal included the establishment of basic principles for the authorized use of armed force under Chapter VII of the UN Charter as well as the current National Constitution, and under that basis that Japan "will assume a leadership role in establishing aUN Emergency Peace Service composed of civilian and military personnel for peacebuilding efforts."

An excerpt of the original proposal (with the original footnotes) read as follows:

"Basic principles shall be stipulated for the exercise of use of force in self-defense under the National Constitution as well as the use of force under the collective security provision under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.[1] As part of its UN reform effort, Japan will assume a leadership role in establishing a UN Emergency Peace Service or UNEPS.[2]”

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[1] For the exercise of use of force under the collective security provision, the principles laid out in the Responsibility to Protect document adopted as the UN World Summit Meeting Outcome Document on September 2005 shall be stipulated. Accordingly, use of arms provision will be based on internationally accepted standards.

[2] UNEPS (United Nations Emergency Peace Service) is a voluntary civil-military hybrid service under the direct auspices of the UN with individuals participating based on free will.