Japanese Lawmakers OK Greater Overseas Role For Military

[Purveyor]

Source: CNN

By Will Ripley, Jason Hanna and Eimi Yamamitsu, CNN
Updated 7:46 PM ET, Fri September 18, 2015

Tokyo (CNN)Japan's upper chamber of Parliament early Saturday approved controversial bills allowing the country's military to engage in overseas combat in limited circumstances -- a major shift after seven decades of pacifism.

The 148-90 vote was the final hurdle for the measures, which will go into effect within roughly the next six months. The lower parliamentary chamber passed the bills in July.

The legislation reinterprets Article 9 of the Japan's pacifist post-World War II constitution, which outlaws war as a means of settling international disputes. The reinterpretation will now allow the Japanese military, known as the Self-Defense Forces, to defend its allies in a limited role in conflicts abroad.

Japanese troops operating overseas had previously been limited to humanitarian roles.

Article 9 of Japan's constitution says, in part, "Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes."

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/18/asia/japan-military-constitution/index.html

[Cosmic Kitten]

1. FANtastic news!

Now maybe the Japanese can help us
beat the Sunni Wahhabi Muslims into oblivion!

Someone has got to stop ISIL!

[davidpdx]

2. It's a slow creep toward remilitarizing Japan

I believe this is just the start for Abe and his party.

[branford]

3. I believe it's far too early to determine the effects of the new law.

The culture of today's Japan is not the same as early and mid 20th century.

There is also still a great deal of opposition to the new law, and any military adventurism or casualties could see the law quickly reversed. A settlement between Japan and China concerning their dispute about certain Pacific Islands, a significant source of Japanese insecurity, may additionally lessen support for the law and policy. Conversely, if the dispute heats up, the Japanese might indeed support ever increasing proactive militarization.

[davidpdx]

4. The opposition to it is one thing that gives me hope. It is a small step by Japan,

but a significant one. For China to come in and start building the equivalent of military bases off the coast of other nations means they not only want to control the resources under the sea, they also want to control the traffic ON the sea (regardless of what international treaty). I don't blame Japan and other countries who feel threatened. I would too.

I do not foresee China wanting to settle the disputes in the Pacific (I wouldn't call all of them islands because some in fact are reefs that are being built on) unless they are settled on China's terms. Also remember it is not just Japan that China has a despite with, it is also South Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia as well (there maybe some I'm leaving out, but those are the major ones). Then you have the conflicts between South Korea and Japan over Dokdo Island and several other countries making claims to multiple islands or reefs.

My major concern is a military build up in Asia especially with right-wing governments in both Japan and South Korea. I'm not sure if you heard, but the US and the Philippines are talking about having troops there again. Fisherman in the Philippines are being attacked by Chinese boats off their coast.

[branford]

5. By your own analysis, it appears a remilitarization of Japan

might be justified for legitimate self-defense purposes, to say nothing of increased direct US military involvement in the region in response to China's actions.

[davidpdx]

6. Hopefully it is only for self-defense

There has to be carefully balanced because South Korea would push for more if it thought Japan was re-militarizing. Then there is North Korea which is a completely different insane story.

Unfortunately the three countries (Japan, South Korea, and China) have never completely learned to play nice with each other even though they are trading partners.