Bills to upgrade the Defense Agency to a ministry and revise the Self-Defense Forces Law are likely to be enacted in the current Diet session. The revisions could change the character of the SDF, which has operated under a strict "defense only" policy. Inasmuch as they are closely related to the workings of the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution, it is regrettable that the revisions have sparked little public debate.
The most important point in the bills is an upgrade of the SDF's overseas activities -- regarded thus far as peripheral missions -- to main missions. Specifically, missions such as emergency humanitarian relief activities abroad, peacekeeping operations under the United Nations and rear-support activities for the U.S. armed forces around Japan in emergency situations would become the SDF's primary missions in addition to national defense.
Current SDF Law poses no impediments to the SDF's carrying out these missions, but the change in the SDF Law will be more than symbolic. The move to revise the SDF Law is taking place at a time when there is a talk of enacting a law that would enable SDF units to be sent overseas without the prior approval of the Diet. This would certainly begin to undermine civilian control of the SDF. It could pave the way for a separate law aimed at skipping Diet approval altogether.