Controversial Japanese legislation, known as Collective Self-defense, was approved a few hours ago (still the 18th in much of the world but already the 19th in Asia).
According to DW TV, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was determined to push it through. DW TV said strong opposition in the Japanese parliament succeeded only in delaying it and the large public protests for weeks seemed to make no difference.
On September 18, 2015, the American website, Stars & Stripes, wrote.
“The new laws would allow Japan’s Self-Defense Forces to defend its close allies in combat for the first time under its constitution, which renounces “war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes.”
Multiple Japanese experts insist the bills are unconstitutional. They say the government’s reinterpretation of the constitution is not valid and only a constitution amendment would change their status.
The American government is pleased with their passage. When the legislation was first proposed, the US Department of Defense posted on its website that,
“Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said that the change will enable the Japan Self-Defense Forces to engage in a wider range of operations and that it will strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance.”
Unlike America, many in Japan and in the rest of Asia aren’t celebrating just yet; they have not forgotten Japan’s past history.
Photo credits: Protests, Danny Howard, License: CC BY-NC 2.0; Sec. of Defense and P.M., Ash Carter, License: CC BY 2.0.
Read the Japan Times here
Read the related article August 06, 2015 — Japan
