２０２２年（令和４年）２月２４日
兵庫県弁護士会
会 長 津 久 井 進
第１ 声明の趣旨
当会は、日米両政府に対し、感染症の拡大防止のために、日米地位協定に、在日米軍関係者が検疫法を始めとする我が国の国内法を遵守することを規定するとともに、日本政府の在日米軍の施設等に対する調査権限を規定することを強く求める。
第２ 声明の理由
１ 我が国における新型コロナウイルス感染症（ＣＯＶＩＤ－１９）の流行は、徐々に収束し、２０２１年（令和３年）末頃までには全国の一日の感染者数は数百人規模に止まっていた。
しかし、同年１２月１７日、沖縄県のキャンプハンセンで、クラスター（感染者集団）が発生し、２０２２年（令和４年）１月からは、沖縄県、山口県、広島県などの日本各地の米軍基地や施設区域に隣接する地域を中心に、兵庫県も含め、日本全国各地でも感染者数が過去に例がない勢いで急増した。
２ 日本政府は、世界的な新型コロナウイルス感染症の流行を受け、２０２０年３月以来、ほぼ２年間にわたって、外国人の入国を停止する極めて厳しい「水際対策」を採ってきたもので、それは「令和の鎖国」と国際的な非難を受けるほどであった。
しかし、そのような状況においても在日米軍は、在日米軍関係者について、米国から日本へ出国する時の検査は実施するものの、日本へ入国する時の検査は実施してこなかったところ、さらに同年９月３日以降は、米国から出国する時の検査も中止していた。すなわち在日米軍関係者は出入国のいずれの時も検査を受けていなかったのである。
日本政府は、在日米軍の出国時の検査中止から４ヶ月近くも経過した２０２１年（令和３年）１２月２４日になってその事実をようやく公表し、在日米軍は、同月２６日から在日米軍関係者に対する出国７２時間前の検査を再開、同月３０日から入国後２４時間以内のＰＣＲ検査を開始したとのことである。
すなわち、およそ４ヶ月もの間、日本政府の「水際対策」には在日米軍という大きな水漏れが生じており、米軍施設や区域からの感染拡大は起こるべくして起こったといわざるをえない。
沖縄県を始め、在日米軍施設のある自治体の首長は、在日米軍施設内における感染拡大に対処すべく、在日米軍や日米両政府に対し、感染拡大防止のために対策や協力を繰り返し求め続けていたが、日本政府からは、２０２２年（令和４年）１月９日、在日米軍関係者に対する同年１月１０日から２週間の行動制限措置と自宅以外でのマスクの着用義務が発表されるに止まり、その後、感染が急拡大する中、在日米軍関係者のマスク着用は徹底されることもなく、沖縄県知事らの延長要請にもかかわらず、同年１月３１日には行動制限も解除されるに至った。
３ 我が国の検疫法によれば、日本に入国しようとする者は、出国前に新型コロナウイルス感染症に関する検査を受け、検査証明を提示し、入国時に検査を行い、すでに感染拡大が認められる国から入国しようとする者は、指定施設における一定期間の待機が求められている。
しかるに、約４か月にわたって在日米軍関係者が全く検査を受けることなしに日本に入国していた理由は、日米地位協定に在日米軍に対し検疫法の適用は明記されておらず、（日本国とアメリカ合衆国との間の相互協力及び安全保障条約第６条に基づく施設及び区域並びに日本国における合衆国軍隊の地位に関する協定（以下「日米地位協定」という。）第９条）、他方、米軍が、直接、在日米軍基地に入国する場合は「合衆国軍隊の実施する検疫手続の適用を受ける」ことで足り（１９９６年（平成８年）１２月２日付日米合同委員会合意Ａ（２））、日本政府による在日米軍に対する検疫は、在日米軍から検疫を受ける旨の通知がある場合に限定されていることによる（外国軍用艦船等に関する検疫法特例第５条）。
また、感染拡大後に、日本政府により、在日米軍基地関係者に対する効果的な感染防止対策が直ちに講じられなかった理由は、在日米軍が施設内における管理権を排他的に有しているため（日米地位協定第３条第１項）、日本政府による在日米軍基地内の情報収集ができず、管理権を有する在日米軍の方針に従わざるを得ないことによる。
４ 米軍基地が設置されている諸外国のうち、検疫に関して豪州は米軍の検疫法遵守義務を地位協定に明記しており、ＮＡＴＯ加盟国は外国軍の出入国管理に関する受入国の手続を遵守することをＮＡＴＯ軍地位協定に規定している。ドイツは、伝染病予防に関する国内法が適用されることを協定に明記しており、イタリアも公衆の健康に危険が生じる場合などにはイタリア軍司令官が介入する旨の規定を設けている。フィリピンは、米軍の環境法令遵守義務を明記するとともに、米軍はフィリピン当局の要請に応じ、検疫に従う義務を規定している。
また、基地の管理について、ドイツは連邦、州、地方自治体による米軍施設への立入権を明記しており、イタリアはイタリア軍司令官が米軍施設の管理権限を規定している。
以上のとおり、米軍基地のある諸外国が米軍関係者に対する検疫や施設内管理に関し、一定の権限を有していることに比し、我が国は著しく不平等な関係にある。
５ 当会は、２０１３年（平成２５年）２月２１日、「オスプレイ配備の中止等を求める会長声明」を発出し、在日米軍が日米地位協定及び航空法特例法によって我が国の航空法遵守義務を負わない危険性を指摘し、日米両政府に対し、日米地位協定並びに航空法特例法の改定・見直しを求めてきた。このたび、同様に、日米地位協定に基づく合意・特例法により、我が国の検疫法が在日米軍関係者に適用されず、日本政府による在日米軍施設等の指定感染症等の情報収集もできず、実効的な感染防止対策を講じられなかった結果、感染拡大し、我が国に住む多くの人々の生命・健康に深刻な悪影響を及ぼすこととなった。
２０２１年（令和３年）１２月には兵庫県の伊丹駐屯地（伊丹市）において、在日米軍約１５００名が参加した陸上自衛隊との大規模演習が実施された経緯もあり、兵庫県民にとっても在日米軍関係者の感染防止対策には大きな関心を有しており、日本国憲法の保障する平和的生存権の見地からも再発防止に向けた速やかな対応が求められる。
よって、当会は、日米両政府に対し、感染症の拡大防止のために、日米地位協定に、在日米軍関係者が検疫法を始めとする我が国の国内法を遵守することを規定するとともに、日本政府の在日米軍の施設等に対する調査権限を規定することを強く求める次第である。
以上
President’s Statement Calling for the Amend of the U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement
February 24, 2022
Hyogo Bar Association
President Susumu Tsukui
1.Purpose of the Statement
We,Hyogo Bar Association strongly urges governments of Japan and the United States to stipulate the following items in the U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) in order to prevent and contr ol the spread of infectious diseases:
-That all individuals connected to U.S. Forces Japan comply with the quarantine law and other domestic laws of Japan
-That the Government of Japan has the authority to investigate the facilities of U.S. Forces Japan
2.Reasons for the Statement
1)The spread of the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in Japan was gradually subsiding, and around the end of 2021 the number of daily infections did not go beyond several hundred on the country level.
However, there was an outbreak of the coronavirus cluster at Camp Hansen in Okinawa on December 17, 2021. Since January 2022, coronavirus infection has spread rapidly, especially in areas adjacent to U.S. military bases and facilities in Okinawa, Yamaguchi and Hiroshima prefectures. Furthermore, the number of infected persons increased with unprecedented speed across Japan, including Hyogo Prefecture.
2)Due to the spread of the COVID-19 around the world, the Government of Japan has suspended entry of foreign nationals into the country for about 2 years since March 2020. These overly strict “waterfront” border control measures evoked criticism from the international community as exclusionist, and were called “National isolationism of Reiwa period”.
However, even in such situation, the personnel of U.S. Forces Japan took COVID-19 tests only prior to the departure from their country, and no tests were carried out upon their arrival to Japan. In addition, on September 3, 2021, U.S. Forces Japan stopped testing their personnel for novel coronavirus infections even prior to their departure from the United States. In other words, individuals connected to U.S. Forces Japan were entering Japan since September 3, 2021 without taking any tests, either prior to the departure or upon the arrival.
The Government of Japan finally made this information public on December 24, 2021, four months after U.S. Forces Japan stopped testing their personnel for novel coronavirus infections. Consequently, from December 26, U.S. Forces Japan resumed testing their personnel 72 hours prior to the departure from the United States. From December 30 they started PCR testing within 24 hours upon the arrival to Japan. Nevertheless, this means that starting from September 3, during the period of about 4 months, there was a big leakage in Japan’s “waterfront” border control measures caused by U.S. military in Japan. We can say that the spread of the coronavirus infections from U.S. basis and other military facilities was an occurrence that was bound to happen.
The heads of local governments in Okinawa Prefecture and other areas in which U.S. military facilities are located have repeatedly demanded from U.S. Forces Japan and from governments of Japan and the United States cooperation and infectious disease control measures. However, in the statement of the Government of Japan of January 9, 2022, the personnel of U.S. Forces Japan were only ordered a two-week restriction on activities starting from January 10, and compulsory use of facial masks when outside of their homes.
Subsequently, the infection rapidly spread, but the U.S. military personnel in Japan did not fully comply with the obligation to wear masks. Despite requests by the governor of Okinawa and others to extend the period of restrictions on activities of the U.S. military personnel, these restrictions were lifted on January 31, 2022.
3)According to Japan’s Quarantine Act, anyone who intends to enter Japan must be tested for novel coronavirus infection prior to the departure from their country of origin, present the COVID-19 test certificate, and take another test upon arrival to Japan. In addition, those who intend to enter Japan from countries where coronavirus infection is spreading are required to quarantine at specified facilities for a certain period of time.
Despite this, for about four months the U.S. military personnel was entering Japan without taking any tests at all, which was made possible by the following agreements, understandings and special provisions between Japan and the United States. In other words, on the one hand, the compliance of U.S. Forces Japan with Japan’s Quarantine Act is not specified (Article 9 of the SOFA), and on the other hand, in cases where U.S. military personnel directly enters U.S. military bases in Japan, it is sufficient for them to apply quarantine procedures of the U.S. military (U.S.-Japan Joint Committee, December 2, 1996). The application of quarantine procedures of the Japanese government is limited to cases when U.S. Forces Japan notify the Japanese government that they will apply quarantine measures (Article 5 of the Special Provisions of the Quarantine Act Concerning Foreign Military Vessels etc.). In addition, the reason why the Japanese government was unable to immediately apply effective infection prevention measures to the U.S. Forces Japan personnel after the spread of infection is because the U.S. military in Japan has exclusive control over its facilities (Article 3, Paragraph 1 of the SOFA). Therefore, the Japanese government could not collect information inside the U.S. military bases, and had to comply with the policies of the of U.S. Forces Japan, as the U.S. military has management authority over those bases.
4)Regarding other countries that host U.S. military bases, Australia has stipulated in its SOFA that the U.S. military must comply with Australian quarantine laws. The NATO SOFA stipulates that military forces of NATO member states must comply with country entry and departure procedures of receiving states. The German SOFA clearly stipulates application of domestic quarantine laws, whereas Italy has a provision that Italian commanders shall intervene in cases when there is a danger to public health and alike. The Philippines specifies the obligation of U.S. military to comply with the country’s environmental laws and regulations, and stipulate the obligation of the U.S. military to comply with requests for quarantine from the Philippine authorities. Regarding management of military bases, Germany clearly specifies that federal, state and local governments have the right to enter U.S. military facilities, and Italy stipulates that the Italian military commanders have management authority over the U.S. military facilities.
In accordance with the above, with regard to quarantine for individuals connected to the U.S. military and the management of U.S. military facilities, many countries that host U.S. military bases have a certain degree of equal authority, whereas Japan has a significantly unequal relationship with the U.S. military compared to these countries.
5)On February 21, 2013, the Association issued the “Chairman’s Statement Calling for a Halt to the Deployment of Osprey”. In the statement, the Association pointed out the danger of U.S. Forces Japan not being in obligation to comply with Japan’s Civil Aeronautics Law under the SOFA and the Civil Aeronautics Law Special Provisions Act, and called on the Japanese and U.S. governments to revise and review the SOFA and the Civil Aeronautics Law Special Provisions Act.
Similarly, due to the agreements and special laws based on the U.S.-Japan SOFA, the Government of Japan was unable to apply Japan’s quarantine laws and regulations to persons connected to U.S. Forces Japan, was unable to collect information on designated infectious disease at U.S. military facilities in Japan, nor was it able to take effective infectious disease control measures. Consequently, the infection spread, causing serious adverse effects on the lives and health of many people living in Japan.
In December 2021, a large-scale joint exercise was held at Camp Itami in Itami City, Hyogo Prefecture. About 1,500 U.S. troops and the Ground Self-Defense Forces personnel participated in this exercise. The people of Hyogo Prefecture are also very concerned about measures for the prevention and control of infectious diseases among the U.S. military personnel in Japan, and they are calling for prompt action to prevent recurrence of such incidents from the standpoint of the right to peaceful existence guaranteed by the Constitution of Japan as well.
Therefore, our Association urges the governments of Japan and the United States to stipulate in the U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement the compliance of the U.S. military personnel stationed in Japan with quarantine law and other domestic laws, with the objective to prevent and control the spread of infectious diseases, as well as to stipulate the authority of the Japanese government to investigate facilities of U.S. Forces Japan.