Top > What's up around the Prime Minister > October, 2004

The Thirteenth Meeting of the Council on Security and Defense Capabilities Monday, October 4, 2004 The Thirteenth Meeting of the Council on Security and Defense Capabilities was held at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. At the meeting, a report entitled "Vision of Security and Defense Capabilities for the Future" was compiled. This report incorporated proposals for transition from the concept of "basic defense force" which has been the basis of Japan's defense policy since the time of the Cold War to a new concept of development of "multi-functional and flexible defense capabilities" in order to deal with the various threats that Japan faces from terrorism and ballistic missiles. It also points out the need to upgrade the international peace cooperation activities of the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) from a conventional collateral task to its original task. In receiving the report, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said, "Security is the biggest issue of concern for the people of Japan. I wish to establish a new defense plan by the end of 2004 using this report as a reference. I intend to develop a defense system with which Japan can expeditiously and flexibly respond to the various threats we face."