Japan lower house of parliament OKs expanded military role

The unpopular legislation was crafted after Abes Cabinet adopted a new security policy previous year that reinterpreted a part of Japans post-World War II constitution that only permitted the nations military to use force for its self-defense.

Despite mass protests, a key panel of Japan’s parliament has approved legislation concerning the deployment of the country’s troops overseas.

But the attempt to legislate for “collective defence” has united most constitutional scholars against his government and triggered deep divisions in a country where pacifism sunk deep roots after the second world war.

The vote comes amid heightened tensions with China, which regularly criticizes Abe, accusing him of staging a return to its militaristic past. They say 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.

Observers say the backlash against Abe’s plans for allowing military actions resembles protests that forced his grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, Japan’s prime minister between 1957 and 1960, to resign in 1960 over the U.S.-Japan security pact during tenure.

The bills will then go to the upper house, and if no vote is taken after 60 days they will be returned to the lower house, where Abe’s coalition can enact them with a two-thirds majority. The floor of the committee room filled yesterday moments after chairman Yasukazu Hamada, a member of Abe’s conservative Liberal Democratic Party, called a vote.

Mr Abe says a bolder security stance, welcomed by ally Washington, is essential to meet new challenges, such as those from a rising China.

Financial Minister Taro Aso, center, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, left, share a light moment during a plenary session at the lower house in Tokyo, Thursday, July 16, 2015.

The new legislation was approved for voting while thousands of protesters were rallying against the militaristic trends outside of the parliament.

China is preparing for “high-level political dialogue” with Japan, China’s top diplomat told the head of Japan’s National Security Council on Thursday, fuelling speculation of a leaders’ summit as early as September.

“We solemnly urge the Japanese side to draw hard lessons from history, stick to the path of peaceful development, respect the major security concerns of its Asian neighbours”, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in response to the passage of the Bills. He and other backers of the legislation argue that the world has changed, and in the face of potential threats such as China and North Korea, Japan needs to enhance its deterrence to preserve its peace and prosperity.

Japan’s constitution prohibits a standing army.