An Appeal to Require Japanese Diet to Reconsider The Proposed Fundamental Law on Outer Space

We, the committee Seven for the Appeals on the World Peace have big fears that the bill for Outer Space Basic Law which was introduced to the Diet on June 20th 2007 and has been under deliberation in the Diet since it was assembled on Sep 10th 2007.

This includes the contents which will be related to the first step to account outer space the place where militarily used. And we strongly oppose the urgent legislation of the basic law.

Human beings have been trying to understand the mystery of outer space by means of various types of artificial satellites and investigating rockets and have been reflecting upon the ways of our living by looking back the Earth from outer space.

We can say that outer space has been the place of eternal longing and self-awareness which arouses our imagination and philosophical consideration.

On the other hand, outer space also is unfortunately the place where many missiles and military satellites are passing, on the pretext of security, It means one romantic exsistence gifted for human beings is militarily used.

But in Japan , despite this situation in 1969 the ordinary session of the House of Representatives stated the purpose of the exploration and the use of outer space by unanimous resolution. According to the resolution the exploration and the use of outer space should be carried on ‘strictly for peaceful purposes with improvement of peoples’ quality of lives and social welfare , contributing the progress of industrial technology’, followed by the another unanimous resolution on the House of Councilors that the exprolation and the use of outer space should be carried on ‘ strictly for the peaceful purposes and under the basic principles of <independence, democracy, open to public and international co-operation>’. It was the nation of Japan that declared that it would use outer space only for the purpose of disarmament.

We can say this statement means the honorable purpose and principle appealing ideal to all over the world taking the initiative in assuring the essential spirit of Outer Space Treaty in 1967, in whose preamble ‘recognizing the commom interest of all mankind in the progress of the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes’ ‘believing that the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes ‘ ‘believing that the exploration and use of outer space should be carried on for the benefit of all peoples irrespective of the degree of their economic or scientific development and convinced’.

But now we’re afraid that the introduction of this bill in 2007 is promoting the legislation of the Outer Space Basic Law which includes the contents ‘The exploration of outer space should be carried on…to support national security ‘without the word of ‘disarmament’,synchlonizing the tendency of emphasizing risk control and national security,
In addition, this bill says, ‘We’ll take necessary measures for the appropriate information control where in we can easily realize the intention of the exploration of outer space secretly abolishing the principle to disclose to the public.

If the bill was passed, it would be possible for the Self-Defense Forces to obtain and use their special previous warning satellites, military correspondence satellites and radio interception satellites . And then the risk of transforming the exploration of outer space into militarization under the name of self-defense　will be bigger.We must not forget that strengthening military power and attacking power interact to each other and will be related to expanding militarization like two side of one sword.

Once we admit this trend, the situation might be very critical because the establishment of military and industry complex will be produced with classified issues and the function of the nation will be mislead..

In addition, strengthening information control will be against the growth of well-balanced industry that is concerned with the development of international competitive power.

And in this bill the word of ‘progress of science ‘ used to be in the resolution on the House of Representatives in 1968 is deleted from general provision and alternated __expression of ‘increase of our nation’s benefit’ is referred no less than three times.

It means the apparent intention to use outer space for the nation’s interests not to mention that the exploration and use of outer space are based on the progress of science. This might lead to derogation of Japan.

In addition ,we dare to say that both of the contentes and expressions of this bill are tactless and immature because of the stereotyped words such as ‘outer space exploration ‘ for 23times and ‘we must~’ for 7 times.

We think that Japan should concentrate on carrying in the exploration and use of outer space with the slogan of ‘disarmament’ and continue giving people dreams and romantic images and it must be the way for a real peaceful nation to be pursued.

And we call on the legislation of the Outer Space Basic Law based on the unanimous resolution on the Diet in 1967 recalling the first ideal slogan.