Japan steps away from pacifism
Print Edition
Controversial security bills that opponents have said will undermine 70 years of pacifism and could see Japanese troops fighting abroad for the first time since World War II passed through the country’s powerful lower house of parliament yesterday.
The vote marks a victory for nationalist Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other right-wingers, who have ignored popular anger in a bid to break what they see as the shackles of the United States-imposed constitution.
Restrictive clauses preventing Japan from having a fully fledged military serve as a straightjacket that stops Tokyo from doing what it must to protect its citizens, allies and friends, they said.
Abe’s ruling coalition was left alone to vote after all main opposition parties walked out of the chamber in protest, a move intended to reflect public fury over the legislation.
“The security situation surrounding Japan is increasingly severe,” Abe told reporters after the vote, in an apparent reference to the rise of China.
“These bills are necessary to protect Japanese people’s lives and prevent a war,” he said.
The vote came a day after as many as 60,000 people took part in a rally outside parliament, after the bills — which will give Japan’s tightly restricted military greater scope to act — were pushed through a key lower house panel.
Demonstrations in Japan are usually small, but the issue has galvanized opposition across a wide swathe of the population.
The bills — a hotchpotch of updates to existing provisions that will allow, among other things, Japan’s military to take part in non-United Nations peacekeeping missions — now go to the upper chamber.
Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner have a majority in that house, but commentators said it is possible the chamber could reject, or amend the bills.
However, the lower house could overturn those changes with a two-thirds majority — well within the scope of what Abe controls.
The legislation is expected to be enacted by the autumn.
Abe wants a normalization of Japan’s military posture, which has been constrained by a constitution written by US occupiers after World War II.
Unable to muster support to amend clauses enshrining pacifism, Abe opted instead to re-interpret the document for the purpose of his bills, ignoring warnings that the bills are unconstitutional.
Protesters, which include a large number of older people, have said that provision will mean Japan gets dragged into American wars in far-flung parts of the globe.
Supporters, however, have said the legislation is needed to take account of the shifting security environment in Asia.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
