Komeito vice leader shows understanding over counterattack capabilities

The Yomiuri Shimbun

1:00 JST, June 11, 2022

Kazuo Kitagawa, deputy chief of Komeito, expressed some understanding Thursday for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s proposal that Japan should possess counterattack capabilities for the purpose of self-defense, saying, “We don’t see it [possessing counterattack capabilities] as something that is entirely out of the question for Japan.”

Speaking at a press conference, Kitagawa was referring to the proposal submitted to the government by Komeito’s coalition partner on possessing such capabilities as being able to destroy missile-launch bases.

Kitagawa also stressed that such counterattacks could only be allowed “under Article 9 of the Constitution and within the range of exclusive defense, on the premise that an armed strike had been launched against our country.”

The government plans to revise three documents related to the issue, including the National Security Strategy, at the end of the year.

Komeito is expected to start discussions with the government and the LDP after the House of Councillors election this summer.