A veteran political figure in Japan has called for a reassessment of the nation’s military relationship with the United States (US) regarding the use of domestic airspace.
Kazuo Shii, the long-standing former leader of the Japanese Communist Party, urged the government in Tokyo to reconsider its policy of permitting American military aircraft to operate within Japanese skies, reports Al Jazeera.
Shii, who currently serves as the chairman of the party’s central committee after stepping down from the leadership role in 2024, issued the statement via the social media platform X.
The veteran politician’s remarks were prompted by a recent move by Austria to prohibit US warplanes engaged in the conflict in Iran from utilising its sovereign airspace.
In his post, Shii argued that Japan must “fundamentally rethink its current situation”.
He alleged that the country presently allows US military aircraft to operate with “high-handed impunity” and claimed that such flights, particularly those at ultra-low altitudes, often occur in defiance of domestic legislation.
Despite being the oldest active political organisation in the country, the Japanese Communist Party maintains a limited presence in the national legislature, currently holding four seats in the House of Representatives.
Japan remains a pivotal Asian ally for Washington, hosting roughly 50,000 US personnel under the terms of a bilateral defence treaty established following the Second World War.
