Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has finally achieved one of his political goals. The restoration of Japan's dignaty after having America under the ageis of General Douglas MacArthur, as he saw it force upon the Japanese people its pacifist constitution. Article 9 of the constitution prevents Japan from sending its military forces outside the counrty to fight in foreign wars. Since the 1990's Abe's Liberal Democratic Party has sought a means by which the constitutuion could be amended. Abe's first turn as Prime Minister ended when, during his one year in office his sole focus was the removal of article 9. He failed and was forced to resign.
He staged a poitical comeback in 2012 becoming the first person to serve twice as Prime Minister. That first year he consentratred on fixing Japan's moribound economy. Abe still dreamt of allowing Japan to send its military overseas to fight in foreign wars. In December 2014 he disolved parliament and a snap election was held. With the opposition parties still in disarray after their defeat in 2012 the Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner New Komeito won a super majority eboldening Abe and his desire to return Japan to its "glory" days. Thus, the introduction of the security laws. One little problem Abe never counted on: The people of Japan being overwhelminly against the legislation.
He staged a poitical comeback in 2012 becoming the first person to serve twice as Prime Minister. That first year he consentratred on fixing Japan's moribound economy. Abe still dreamt of allowing Japan to send its military overseas to fight in foreign wars. In December 2014 he disolved parliament and a snap election was held. With the opposition parties still in disarray after their defeat in 2012 the Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner New Komeito won a super majority eboldening Abe and his desire to return Japan to its "glory" days. Thus, the introduction of the security laws. One little problem Abe never counted on: The people of Japan being overwhelminly against the legislation.
Japan has passed controversial security bills that will allow the country’s troops to fight overseas for the first time since the second world war, despite widespread voter opposition and mass protests in central Tokyo.
MPs in the upper house of parliament passed the legislation in the early hours of Saturday morning Japanese time, following days of high political drama marked by scuffles, delaying tactics and fierce exchanges on the floor of the chamber.
The new laws effectively ease constitutional restraints on the country’s forces to allow them to exercise collective self-defence, or coming to the aid of an ally, even if Japan is not directly threatened.
The move, the biggest shift in the country’s defence posture since its wartime defeat in August 1945, prompted mass demonstrations and frantic attempts by the opposition MPs to delay the bills’ passage.
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