By Zhu Xiaoqi

朱晓琦

(资料图)

The Japanese cabinet released a new version of the Basic Plan on Ocean Policy recently. As a national policy of Japan"s ocean strategy, the plan establishes the development direction of Japan"s ocean policy in the next five years. The plan is in line with the three security policy documents including the National Security Strategy (NSS), National Defense Strategy (NDS) and Defense Buildup Program (DBP) released at the end of last year. The plan wantonly exaggerates the so-called external threats facing Japan, emphasizes the need to enhance Japan"s defense forces and maritime law enforcement capabilities, and tries to further break through the constraints of the peace constitution. Such behavior goes against the trend of history and will undoubtedly significantly increase regional security risks.

日前，日本内阁发布新版《海洋基本计划》。作为日本海洋战略的国策性文件，该计划确立了未来5年日本海洋政策的发展方向。该计划与其去年年底发布的《国家安全保障战略》《国家防卫战略》和《防卫力量整备计划》三份安保政策文件一脉相承，肆意渲染日本面临的外部威胁，强调要增强日本的防卫力量与海上执法能力，试图进一步突破和平宪法约束。这种违背历史潮流的行为，无疑将显著增加地区安全风险。

Japan"s Basic Plan on Ocean Policy has been promulgated every five years since 2008, and this is the fourth time that the Japanese government has revised this document. Compared with the previous version, the most prominent feature of the new version is that it tries to emphasize the urgency of strengthening defense forces and maritime law enforcement capabilities by exaggerating peripheral security threats. In order to exaggerate that Japan"s national interests are facing so-called unprecedented serious threats, the plan slanders the legitimate law enforcement and rights protection actions of China Coast Guard, it even deliberately distorts China"s legitimate actions to safeguard national sovereignty in the East China Sea and South China Sea. These extremely absurd remarks reflect the Japanese government"s dangerous scheme to expand its military.

自2008年起，日本《海洋基本计划》每5年颁布一次，本次是日本政府第四次颁布该项文件。与上一版相比，日本新版《海洋基本计划》最突出的特点，就是试图通过渲染周边安全威胁，强调强化防卫力量与海洋执法能力的紧迫性。为渲染日本所谓“国家利益正在面临前所未有的严重威胁”，文件不仅污蔑中国海警船的正当执法维权行动，甚至刻意歪曲中国在东海、南海维护国家主权的合法行动。这些极为荒诞的言辞，折射出日本政府借机扩军的危险图谋。

First, it seeks to strengthen military power. The plan pointed out that in order to cope with the most severe and complex post-war security environment in Japan"s surrounding maritime and air areas, the Ministry of Defense and the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) are seeking to fundamentally strengthen the defense force. To this end, Japan will comprehensively improve defense force and maritime law enforcement capabilities. On the one hand, Japan promotes the integration of military and police, strengthen the joint training and close coordination between the JSDF and the Japan Coast Guard in response to situations. The plan clearly stipulates that the Minister of Defense has the right to command the Coast Guard in case of an emergency. This approach undoubtedly incorporates Japan Coast Guard into its defense system. On the other hand, Japan seeks to make its fishery management policial. Japan established the Fisheries Enforcement Headquarters under the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to strengthen the control of the so-called illegal activities of foreign fishing boats, and equip fishery management boats with bulletproof, knife-proof and squirt gun-proof equipment.

其一，强化军事力量。文件指出，“为应对战后最严峻复杂的我国周边海空区域的安全保障环境，防卫省、自卫队谋求防卫力量的根本性强化”，为此将全面提升日本的防卫力量和海上执法能力。一方面，推动军警一体化。加强自卫队和海上保安厅的共同训练、在事态应对中的密切配合，明确规定在“有事”时，防卫大臣有权统辖指挥海上保安厅。这种做法，无疑是将日本的海上警备力量纳入了防卫体系。另一方面，推动渔业管理警备化。在农林水产厅下设渔业管理总部，加强对所谓“外国渔船违法行为”的管制，为渔业管制船配置防弹、防刃和防水枪等装备。

Second, it seeks to improve the intelligence system. The plan highlights the need to strengthen intelligence work, and strengthen maritime surveillance and intelligence gathering by comprehensively utilizing naval vessels, patrol vessels, survey vessels, aircraft, satellites, and coastal radars of the Ministry of Defense, the JSDF, the Coast Guard, and the Cabinet Secretariat within Japan"s territorial waters. In particular, the plan requires actively promoting the application of new technologies such as satellites, drones, and unmanned remote-controlled submersibles in alert and surveillance. At the same time, the plan also claims that Japan will jointly create an intelligence collection, analysis and sharing system with so-called like-minded countries.

其二，完善情报系统。文件突出强调要加强情报工作，在日本领海内综合运用防卫省、自卫队、海上保安厅和内阁官房等拥有的舰艇、巡逻船、测量船、飞机和卫星、海岸雷达，加强海上监视和情报收集。特别是要积极推动卫星、无人机、无人遥控潜水器等新技术在警戒监视中的应用。与此同时，文件还声称，日本将与所谓的“志同道合”国家联合打造情报收集、分析和共享体制。

Third, it advocates camp confrontation. The plan emphasizes that in this era of complex and intertwined confrontation and cooperation, Japan will work with the US and other countries to curb the occurrence of emergencies and unilateral attempts to change the status quo and promote a new balance of power in international relations, especially in the Indo-Pacific region. Specifically, it will strengthen joint training and joint exercises between the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and the navies of other countries, continue to promote the overseas dispatch activities of the JSDF, and strengthen security assurance capabilities and deterrence. At the same time, it will promote the Japan Coast Guard to strengthen its capabilities through multilateral mechanisms such as the Quad among Japan, the US, Australia, and India, and promote cooperation with maritime security agencies of various countries.

其三，鼓吹集团对抗。文件强调，在这个对抗与合作复杂交错的时代，日本将与美国等国一起，遏制“有事”的发生和单方面改变周边现状的尝试，推动国际关系、特别是印太地区实现新的力量平衡。具体而言，就是要加强海上自卫队与他国海军的共同训练、开展联合演习，继续推进自卫队的海外派遣活动，加强安全保障能力和威慑力。同时，还要推动海上保安厅通过“日美澳印”等多边机制强化能力、推进与各国海上保安机关的合作。

As a national policy of Japan"s ocean strategy, the plan is in line with the three security policy documents. Instead of focusing on the peaceful use of the ocean and peaceful settlement of disputes, it repeatedly uses words such as rapid changes and profound threats to exaggerate security threats to break through the constraints of the peace constitution and find excuses for increasing defense budget and strengthening the so-called defense forces. The frequent release of national strategic documents filled with plans for military expansion not only deviates from the purpose of Japan"s peace constitution but also goes against the will of the Japanese people and will also aggravate regional security risks.

作为确立日本海洋战略的国策性文件，新版《海洋基本计划》与其新版安保政策三文件一脉相承，不是聚焦于和平利用海洋、和平解决争端，而是反复使用“急剧变化”“深刻威胁”等词语，浓墨重彩渲染安全威胁，企图突破和平宪法约束，为增加防卫费和增强所谓“防卫力量”寻找借口。频频发布充斥扩军图谋的国家战略文件，不仅背离了日本和平宪法的宗旨，违背了日本国内民意，也将加剧地区安全风险。

(The author is from the School of International Relations, Renmin University of China.)

（作者单位：中国人民大学国际关系学院）