外国人だけの輸送可能に　自衛隊法改正案、今国会に―防衛省

　岸信夫防衛相は１８日の記者会見で、外国での災害や騒乱といった緊急時に自衛隊機による外国人のみの輸送を可能にする自衛隊法改正案を今国会に提出する方針を明らかにした。「安全な実施」を輸送の要件としている文言も見直す。２月上旬にも提出する。
　「在外邦人等の輸送」を定めた同法８４条の４は、輸送対象を「邦人」と規定。外国人の同乗も認めているが、退避させるべき邦人が一人もいなければ自衛隊機の派遣ができない。
　昨年８月にアフガニスタンでイスラム主義組織タリバンが政権を掌握した際、首都カブールの日本大使館や国際協力機構（ＪＩＣＡ）で働くアフガン人とその家族を中心に、多くの人が退避を希望した。こうした現地人は、「同じ志を持って働いてきた仲間」（防衛相）と見なし、輸送の対象とする。（2022/01/18-16:52）

The Japanese government plans to submit a bill enabling Self-Defense Forces aircraft to transport only foreigners in emergencies abroad, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said Tuesday.
   The bill to amend the SDF law, to be submitted to the ongoing session of the Diet, Japan's parliament, possibly in early February, will also review a clause requiring transport operations to be conducted safely.
   The SDF law currently stipulates that people with Japanese nationality be subject to transportation by SDF aircraft. While foreign nationals are allowed to board aircraft together with Japanese nationals, SDF aircraft cannot be dispatched if there is no Japanese person to evacuate.
   The move for amendment comes after many Afghan workers at the Japanese Embassy in Kabul and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, as well as their families, requested to be evacuated following the Islamist group Taliban's takeover of the central Asian country in August last year.
   After the law revision, such locals will be considered "colleagues who have worked together (with Japanese nationals) with the same spirit," according to Kishi, and be subject to SDF aircraft transportation even without Japanese nationals evacuating at the same time.