PARADE REVIEWED BY PRIME MINISTER SATO.




Initials JRG/V/BHH/PC



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Background: JAPAN FLEXED HER MILITARY MUSCLES ON SUNDAY WITH A BIG ARMED SERVICES PARADE IN TOKYO TO CELEBRATE SELF-DEFENCE FORCES DAY.

VAST CROWDS WATCHED AS PRIME MINISTER EISAKU SATO REVIEWED A PARADE OF SOME 4,500 JAPANESE TROOPS, OR GROUND SELF-DEFENCE FORCES AS THEY ARE OFFICIALLY CALLED.

A CORPS OF 130 NURSES MARCHED PAST AND THERE WERE GROUND-TO-AIR HAWK AND NIKA-AJAX MISSILES ON DISPLAY FOR THE FIRST TIME. JEEPS EQUIPPED WITH ANTI-TANK WEAPONS, HELICOPTERS, ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIERS AND TANKS ALSO PARTICIPATED.

THE PARADE, AN ANNUAL ONE, CAME THREE DAYS AFTER THE CHINESE NUCLEAR MISSILE WAS FIRED. A JAPANESE GOVERNMENT STATEMENT SAID AFTERWARDS THAT THE NATION'S NON-NUCLEAR POLICY WOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED. JAPAN RELIES ON THE UNITED STATES FOR NUCLEAR PROTECTION.