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The ruling Liberal-Democratic Party (LDP) and its partner, the Komeito Party, will resume discussions this week on a set of 10 security-related bills, with the focus on abolishing geographical restrictions on the overseas dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces.
The discussions, which began last week, are the first since last July when the cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe adopted a resolution to lift a ban on collective self-defense.
A panel, chaired by LDP Vice President Masahiko Koumura, is meeting weekly to discuss the contentious issue with an eye toward submitting the bills to the Diet after the Golden Week holidays.
The LDP has proposed changing a 1999 law which limits SDF activities to emergencies in areas surrounding Japan, that are vital to Japan's peace and security. The LDP wants to remove the wording, "in areas surrounding Japan."
The government also wants a permanent law enacted to enable a swift response from Japan in contingencies rather than have the Diet pass laws to deal with situations as they happen.
However, the Komeito Party has shown reluctance to go along with the LDP on the issue. Komeito deputy chief Kazuo Kitagawa said the government must make it transparent to the public under what conditions the Self-Defense Forces can engage in activities overseas.
Abe has pledged to bolster Japan's defenses and carve a bigger role for Tokyo on the global diplomatic and security stage.
The bills will relax limits on activities in U.N.-led peace-keeping operations and "gray zone" incidents short of full-scale war.
In his policy speech to the Diet earlier this month, Abe said the government must protect Japanese people's lives and peaceful existence. He said there is a misunderstanding that Japan will be involved in war in an effort to defend a foreign country, but denied there will be any change at all in the principle not to allow the dispatch of forces abroad.
© Japan Today
13 Comments
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Kabukilover
Welcome to the LDP warfare state. The unconstutional warfare state. Abe may well get us all fried.
AlexNoaburg
so Japan wants to be like the US, "defense" through invasion
warispeace
As part of economic imperialism, to continue exploiting the lands, resources and workers of the world, the US wants its partners to share a bigger military burden. Abe sees this as an opportunity to push his neo-nationlist agenda and also shift public funds as corporate welfare to private industry involved in producing military supplies and weapons.
False!
In fact, there is a Japanese military base in Djibouti to "to help combat piracy": http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2011-07-08/japan-opens-military-base-in-djibouti-to-help-combat-piracy
Which Abe visited before: http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/page18e_000012.html
Wc626
If the sdf can facilitate Japan's collective defence policy, so let it be. Removing geographic restrictions would be welcomed by the US. Its time for japan put away the checkbook and contribute more to its own security in the region and portray itself globally as such.
wakawaka225
Well lets all at least hope that they keep EVERYTHING transparent and specify or narrow what situations they can use this. There's at least one party that's wary of this type of change.
smithinjapan
Good on the Komeito for trying to reign in Abe's push for war somewhat, but with him in office starting every sentence with, "With my mandate from the people..." he'll ram it through, as he did with the secrecy law, despite the majority of the people being against it, and in particular given the extremely vague wording of it all.
Moderator: Please repost without the expression "Abe's push for war," which is both offensive and incorrect, as you should know.
smithinjapan
"Good on the Komeito for trying to reign in Abe's push for a military and lack of restraints that could allow for Japan to join or even wage war under the guise of 'peace', but with him in office starting every sentence with, "With my mandate from the people..." he'll ram it through, as he did with the secrecy law, despite the majority of the people being against it, and in particular given the extremely vague wording of it all.
Kabukilover
Japan's military engagement anywhere will put this nation as risk of being bombed. If someone tells Abe it could disrupt his golf game he might think twice.
Wc626
Have a little confidence. If japan's military "engagement" is justified & within the scope of its collective defense policy, there could be no repercussion. + the US will be there, side-by-side. Abe can golf. We cook & eat our steaks.
JohnBecker
That howling noise you hear is coming from Beijing....
Chop Chop
PM Abe should not send Japanese Military personal on any Muslim nation. I support Japanese building strong Military for to defend lives and liberty of Japanese peoples but I'm strongly against deploying Japanese soldiers on foreign soil especially on Muslim soil. Japanese Military has no business to involve in Muslim's problem. That's major mistake of US, UK, Australia and NATO. They never should involve in Muslim country problem.
nath
The best defense is a good offense.