Historical Dictionary of United States-Japan ... - Bakumatsu Films

188 • NATIONAL POLICE RESERVE
was an organization established in July 1956. It was a cabinet body
that examined important issues with respect to national defense. An
enforcement order of the Law on the Establishment of the Security
Council of Japan abolished the NDC in July 1986. It was different
from the Defense Agency or Japan Self-Defense Forces in that the
latter two bodies are military defense organizations.
The NDC was responsible for the following: First, it examined
items that the prime minister was required to take on advice: the basic
policy for national defense; the National Defense Program Outline;
a regulatory plan outline for industries related to the National
Defense Program; the advisability of defensive mobilization; and
other important national defense-related issues that the prime minister
considered necessary. Second, when necessary, the NDC offered
its recommendations to the prime minister concerning important national
defense-related issues in accordance with Article 62 of the Defense
Agency Act.
The NDC consisted of the prime minister as chairperson, vice
prime minister, foreign minister, finance minister, Defense Agency
director, and the chief of the Economic Planning Agency. When necessary,
the prime minister could invite state ministers, chiefs of staff,
and others concerned to the council and listen to their opinions. In
1972, in order to strengthen civilian control, the cabinet council decided
to add the minister of international trade and industry, the
director-general of the Science and Technology Agency, the chief
cabinet secretary, and the director of the National Public Safety Commission.
NATIONAL POLICE RESERVE. On 25 June 1950, the Korean War
broke out. In order to maintain domestic order and security, the Japanese
government established the National Police Reserve (NPR) on
10 August, based on a directive given by General Douglas
MacArthur, Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers (SCAP).
The NPR took the form of a police institution, but in substance it was
a lightly armed military organization. As for chain of command, the
NPR was independent from the police and it was directly under the
General Administrative Agency of the cabinet directed by the prime
minister. The Peace Preservation Agency was established on 1 August
1952 and the headquarters of the NPR became an internal bureau of