Defence Issue In Japanese Vote

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31724, 6 July 1968, Page 13

Defence Issue In Japanese Vote

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) TOKYO, July 5.

Japan’s people must give a clear sign this week-end whether they want to stay under United States defence or “go it alone” in a tough world.

Almost 67 million of Japan’s people vote on Sunday in an Upper House election—in short, backing or rejecting the Conservatives. The Conservatives, at present headed by the Prime Minister (Mr Sato) have master-minded Japan’s sensational economic miracle since World War 11.

They hope to romp back to victory on a platform of abiding by Japan's post-war constitution, eliminating home violence, being friends with all nations, and getting back the island of Okinawa from the United States. Okinawa, an emotive name among the Japanese, is a Pacific island which the United States took from Japan in the close of World War 11, and is now a big United States military base. Japan’s Diet (Parliament) has two Houses. Sunday’s voting is for the Upper House, a relatively unimportant rub-ber-stamping appendix of the Lower House.

The main importance of the polling for half its members is that it is the last voting before Japan’s defence treaty with the United States is reviewed in 1970.

Electioneering is at a high peak, with some 305 candidates fighting for 125 seats. Japan’s future defence dominates the issues, but close behind is future relations with Communist China. Many want friendlier terms and more trade.

Among the younger Japanese a sore point is the presence of United States mili-

tary bases on Japanese soil. Huge student demonstrations are a regular sight at these bases—often on the grounds that the younger generation strongly opposes the United States’ role in the Vietnam war. A set-back for the ruling

Liberal Democratic Party in the coming election would be a severe jolt for Mr Sato within his faction-ridden party. A cut of more than four or five in the strength of Mr Sato’s Conservative group of 139 in the 250-seat Upper House would be a huge setback for his leadership. The opposition Socialists, with 73 Upper House seats, and the Buddhist Clean Government Party with 20, are firmly opposed to the United States-Japan defence treaty,

under which the United States is obliged to defend Japan against any attack, and in return, has facilities for military bases. Mr Sato’s party is firmly committed to the treaty, and a huge vote for his candidate would amount to an invitation to extend the arrangements when reviewed in 1970. Most observers feel that while Mr Sato’s Liberal Democratic Party might lose a few seats on a protest vote, it will still be strongly in power next week.