Japanese lawmakers OK higher overseas role for military

Although the current post-war constitution – which barred troops from taking part in combat except in pure self-defence – was imposed by US occupiers, many Japanese feel strongly any change would alter the country’s pacifist character.

Tokyo-Japanese awoke Saturday to the news that their nation had undergone its most significant shift in defense policy since the revision of the Japan-US Security Treaty in 1960.

Aimed at boosting the SDF’s role overseas for a more robust alliance with the United States, the legislation will enable Japan to exercise, in a limited way, the right to collective self-defense, or coming to the aid of the United States and other friendly nations under armed attack, even if Japan itself is not attacked. Ms Bishop says the reforms will ensure enhanced security cooperation between Australia and Japan, and allow the two countries to work together more easily on peacekeeping operations and humanitarian and disaster relief.

“This legislation betrays the constitutionalism, pacifism and democracy that Japan has built over the past 70 years since the end of World War II”, said Tetsuro Fukuyama, a senior lawmaker representing the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan.

The Cabinet’s public approval rating has plummeted to 38.9 percent, with the majority of respondents opposed to the Diet’s enactment of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s contentious security laws, according to the latest Kyodo News survey. Opponents say it violates Japan’s constitution and puts the country at risk of becoming embroiled in U.S.-led wars.

The upper house of the Japanese parliament passed the law on Saturday, despite fierce attempts by opposition politicians to block the move.

The Japan Times reported the opposition was always powerless to stop the bills from going through.

Anger erupted inside and outside the chamber, with protesters opposing the changes rallying on the streets and on Thursday, heated arguments erupted into a brawl in parliament, with normally sedate lawmakers getting caught up in a shoving match. Debate on the Bills was dogged by some of the biggest public protests seen in Japan for years. Japan’s military also is accused of forcing about 200,000 women, mainly from Korea and China, to serve as sex slaves in the 1930s and ’40s. A joint statement of US Republican and Democratic committee leaders on Friday heralded the “larger role for Japan in regional and global security affairs” promised by the legislation.

Japan would be able to provide logistical support to South Korea if the North invaded, though Mr Abe has said it would still be against the constitution to send Japanese troops to fight on Korean soil. It is an unlikely prospect he says but given the language of the legislation it opens up a number of scenarios that could lead to unanticipated conflict. “I’m anxious that because the U.S.is always fighting lots of wars and Japan may start fighting with them”.