What should we protect?
Kazuhiro Araki, Representative of the Reserve Blue Ribbon Association
The term "Self-Defense Forces" often overlooks its true nature, but what the "military" is supposed to protect is the nation, and not just the present, but Japan, a nation that has continued uninterrupted from the past to the future. Although we are currently civilians, as people who have been involved in "military service" in the past, we are working towards the goal of rescuing the abduction victims.
Rescuing Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea is clearly a military task. This is because the victims are in North Korea, not in Japan, where public authority, i.e., the police, can handle the situation. Furthermore, many of the victims were abducted by North Korean agents who entered the country illegally. From the perspective of violating sovereignty, it is only natural that the military should be involved.
However, in Japan, the abduction issue has been primarily handled by the police and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As a result, the police have overlooked the majority of abductions on the grounds that there was "no evidence," and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has dealt with the very few cases that they were forced to acknowledge by "negotiations," a method far removed from actual rescue. Consequently, the abducted Japanese citizens have been abandoned by their own country and held captive in North Korea for years, sometimes even decades.
This can be seen as a consequence of the fact that for 65 years since the end of the war, Japan has glossed over entrusting its national security to another country with the euphemism of the "Japan-U.S. alliance." Of course, this cannot be attributed solely to a few politicians; it can also be said that it is the responsibility of each and every one of us Japanese citizens who have chosen such a political path.
Regardless of whether the government officially recognizes the cases as abductions, many of the families of the abduction victims are now elderly and have passed away without fulfilling their wishes. We are continuing to take concrete actions that truly contribute to the rescue, including efforts to rescue the victims ourselves. We ask for your support and cooperation.
On the occasion of its third anniversary, the Blue Ribbon Reserve Officers Association aims to achieve its goals. Three years have passed since the establishment of this association. During this time, progress has been made in developing the organization, the number of members has increased, and various activities have been carried out. However, the abduction issue itself remains at a standstill, and it has not been clear how we should be involved. This is in some ways making the association's own image ambiguous.
At this three-year milestone, we would like to reaffirm the organization's goals based on our experiences to date. These goals are to improve the individual qualities necessary to respond to any situation. Each member aims to hone their physical abilities and skills, occupy key positions in society, and flexibly adapt to changing circumstances to maximize their capabilities in order to achieve the rescue of abduction victims. This is similar to what the Nakano Army School once aimed for.
The situation in both North Korea and Japan is fluid, and it is not possible to steadily prepare for the rescue of abduction victims according to any plan. However, when we consider that even in the Great East Japan Earthquake, everyday life continued in the affected areas just one minute before the disaster, and when we recall how even a difference of a second in responding to sudden events such as tsunamis can determine life or death, we must say that improving our own capabilities and awareness is an urgent necessity.
Going forward, we will clarify how each of us will be involved in the rescue of the abduction victims and will urgently proceed with preparations to respond to any future events.
The above is hereby resolved.
June 26, 2011
The 3rd General Meeting of the Reserve Blue Ribbon Association
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(Regarding the resolution)
Some may think that the "Nakano Army School" means "a place to become a spy." The Nakano School was established in 1938 under the name of a training center for rear-echelon personnel, and in 1940 it moved to Nakano Ward, Tokyo, and became the Nakano School. By the end of the Greater East Asia War, it had produced approximately 2,000 graduates, including those from the Futamata branch where Mr. Onoda graduated, and they were active in various fields such as intelligence warfare and guerrilla warfare. After the war, some dedicated themselves to the independence wars of Southeast Asian countries, while others were active in various organizations, including the Self-Defense Forces. Furthermore, it was highly regarded by foreign intelligence agencies, and even North Korean intelligence agencies have used it as a model in various ways.
Because graduates of the Nakano School followed the motto "Nakano doesn't speak," much about it remained a mystery. In the early 1960s, the film series "Army Nakano School," starring Raizo Ichikawa, tended to emphasize only its mysterious aspects. However, there was something else at its core.
The instructor who taught national polity studies at Nakano School was Masami Yoshihara. One Nakano School alumnus said, "If it weren't for Mr. Yoshihara, Nakano School might have ended up being nothing more than a spy school." The purpose of Nakano School was not simply to teach technology, but to cultivate individuals who possessed a spirit of devotion to the nation and who could act based on their own judgment and mission.
Statements such as "One excellent intelligence officer is easily equivalent to an entire division" and "If the Nakano School had been established 10 years earlier, Japan might have been able to avoid war" reveal a glimpse of Nakano's true nature.
Of course, the current RBRA lacks the funds to establish an organization like the Nakano School, nor does it receive any support from the government or the Self-Defense Forces, whether material or moral. However, with the abduction issue at a standstill and North Korea becoming unstable, it is necessary to clarify the direction in which the RBRA will be involved.
The opposite of Nakano's approach would be a well-organized field unit, but this is physically difficult and likely to be ineffective due to the rapid changes in the situation. Instead, improving the individual qualities (physical abilities, various skills, etc.) and raising awareness to create a group of people who can adapt to future changes in circumstances would be the most effective way to contribute to the abduction issue.
Loyalty to our homeland—it is this homeland, which has continued from the past into the future, that we must protect. We must build a homeland worthy of protection and defend that homeland.
Out of compassion for our compatriots, we share the pain of the abduction victims and their families as our own, and we will never abandon our fellow countrymen.
Loyalty to comrades: Whether on the front lines or in the rear, we are all comrades fighting the same battle. We always keep our comrades in mind and strive for victory.
(Established at the first general meeting on February 21, 2009)