STATEMENT AGAINST RIMPAC 2006

We oppose RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific multinational military exercise) 2006
We fight U.S.-Japanese military re-alignment and their war drive in Asia Pacific region

Last June 8 Maritime Self Defense Force (MSDF) Headquarter announced their participation in RIMPAC 2006. It will be held from June 26 to July 27 and participated by eight countries; US, UK., Japan, South Korea, Australia, Canada, Chile, Peru., sponsored by US 3rd Fleet. MSDF has earlier dispatched the fleet to US last May 11 that will join the exercise and stay there until August 25.
We resolutely oppose the RIMPAC 2006.
This RIMPAC, the 20th of biennial RIMPAC and the 14th for MSDF to participate in it, has particular implication. It aims to upgrade the war exercise in an attempt to push through war drives, and for Japan to strengthen military proficiency as its increasing military presence in Asian Pacific region as follows.

Firstly, RIMPAC 2006 is firmly based on QDR06（U.S. Quarterly Defense Review 2006, announced February 2006）in which U.S. military defined `anti-terrorism war’ as long lingering warfare. It means that the U.S. will reign over the world as continuous `war state.’ In particular, it put priority on its presence in Asia Pacific region with the deployment of 60 % of its aircraft carriers and submarines to cover ranging from East Asia to Middle East. This reveals U.S. looks at China as `potential threat’ and tries to rapidly consolidate the military deterrent against it. 
Secondly, it is the ever large-scaled exercise, as US Pacific Fleet Commander was quoted as saying, `It is the biggest these ten years.’ It really mobilizes 50 warships, 6 submarines, 160 aircrafts. It includes escort to US carriers and exercise to counter the missile attacks, in addition to surface combat, air combat, missile firing, and to attack on submarine, which surpasses RIMPAC 2004 in level and scale.
Thirdly, it is closely connected to US military’s global transformation program and incorporation of Japan, South Korea into US military maneuvers. In Japan US is pushing forward the re-alignment and relocation of their military bases and facilities throughout Okinawa and mainland Japan. In South Korea, based on the bilateral strategic agreement, US promotes relocation of the stationed US forces and South Korean forces are obliged to launch maneuvers outside Korea, also. This aims to respond not only probable war in Korean peninsula but contain China, and this US strategy has taken shape in RIMPAC 06.
Fourthly, it therefore will heighten military tension in Asia Pacific region. It constitutes an indispensable link of US military strategy that consists of maintenance of US military global hegemony, preemptive attack, long-term anti-terrorism warfare, military containment of China. It surely becomes threat and increase tension to people in the region. 


We therefore resolutely oppose RIMPAC 06. We resist US global military strategy for domination, as well as Japanese incorporation in it, which clear the way for Japan to wage a war of aggression on peoples of the region. We work out to create peace in the region through joint actions among Asian people. 
Moreover, Japanese participation in it is substantial infringement of Japanese pacifist Constitution. In the post-war period, Japan has consistently proceeded along the way to aggression and domination of Asia, taking advantage of joint military exercise to evade the constraints of the Constitution that clearly defines renunciation of war, armed forces, and denial of exchange of fires. Now it comes to a stage that Japan actively joins military exercise to enforce rights to collective defense in accordance with US military realignment, which could be called `new version of US-Japan military alliance.’ We resist the destruction of the Constitution.
As we oppose RIMPAC 06, we resolutely advance struggle against US military re-alignment in Okinawa and mainland Japan. Hand in hand with workers and residents we demand the government to withdraw the program `US Japan Road Map to promote realignment of US Forces’ and abolishment of the `Cabinet conference decision on May 30’ which authorized the Road Map. We proceed shoulder to shoulder with people in the region in the fight to dismantle all US Forces throughout Asia.

June 20, 2006 AWC Japan