敵基地攻撃で自民検討チーム　山口公明代表「慎重に議論」

　自民党は２３日、敵基地攻撃能力の保有に関する検討チームを設置する方向で調整に入った。保有を主張してきた小野寺五典安全保障調査会長ら防衛相経験者が参加し、夏までに提言をまとめる方針だ。一方、公明党の山口那津男代表は同日の記者会見で、慎重な立場を表明。自民党の結論次第では、与党内調整も課題となりそうだ。
　安倍晋三首相は１８日の記者会見で、陸上配備型迎撃ミサイルシステム「イージス・アショア」の配備計画停止を受け、敵基地攻撃能力の保有も視野に安全保障政策の在り方を議論する考えを表明。自民党はこれまでも保有を検討するよう政府に繰り返し求めており、今回の提言も従来方針を踏襲するとみられる。
　これに関し、山口氏は会見で「政府の長年の考え方を基本に、慎重に議論していきたい」と強調。「日本政府は理論上、能力の保有は憲法上許されているが、現実的な保有は政策判断としてしないという一貫した態度を取ってきた」と指摘した。「武力攻撃を未然に防ぐ外交的な取り組みにもっと力を入れる必要がある」とも語った。（2020/06/23-19:52）

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Tuesday began preparations to establish a team to consider the possibility of the country possessing attack capabilities against enemy bases.
   The move comes after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said at a press conference on Thursday last week that he wants to have discussions on the country's national security policy including the possession of such capabilities as a possibility, following the suspension of the plan to deploy the Aegis Ashore land-based missile defense system.
   The team will comprise former defense ministers, such as Itsunori Onodera, now chairman of the LDP Research Commission on National Security and an advocate for possessing the strike capabilities. It is expected to compile a proposal on the matter by this summer. The ruling party has repeatedly urged the government to consider the possession of attack capabilities against enemy bases.
   Meanwhile, Natsuo Yamaguchi, head of the LDP's coalition partner Komeito, took a cautious stance on the plan. "We hope discussions on the matter will be held cautiously based on the long-standing view of the government," Yamaguchi said at a press conference on Tuesday.
   "The Japanese government has consistently taken the stance that Japan is permitted under the Constitution to possess the capabilities to attack enemy bases, but will not adopt a policy decision to possess them in practice," he said.