(Reuters) Japan’s parliament voted into law on Saturday (September 19) a defence policy shift that could let troops fight overseas for the first time since 1945, a milestone in Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s push to loosen the limits of the pacifist constitution on the military.
Abe says the shift, the biggest change in Japan’s defence policy since the creation of its post-war military in 1954, is vital to meet new challenges such as from a rising China.
But the legislation has sparked massive protests from ordinary citizens and others who say it violates the pacifist constitution and could ensnare Japan in U.S.-led conflicts after 70 years of post-war peace. Abe’s ratings have also taken a hit.
The bills, already approved by parliament’s lower house, were voted into law by the upper chamber in the early hours of Saturday despite opposition parties efforts to block a vote by submitting censure motions and a no-confidence motion against Abe’s cabinet in the lower house. All were defeated.
Key Democratic party heavy weight Tetsuro Fukuyama in parliament vowed their fight will go on even after the vote.
“Citizens of Japan, do not give up. The fight starts again from here,” Fukuyama said, aiming his comment at the crowds gathered outside parliament.
Thousands of demonstrators have rallied near parliament everyday this week, chanting “Scrap the war bills” and “Abe resign”. Large crowds were still protesting after midnight on Friday (September 18).
The protests have called to mind those that forced Abe’s grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi, to resign 55 years ago after forcing a U.S.-Japan security treaty through parliament.
Ruling party members however said the vote could not be delayed any longer.
“The needs of our nation’s peace and security environment can wait no longer,” said Liberal Democratic Party member, Junichi Ishii.
A key feature of the laws is an end to a long-standing ban on exercising the right of collective self-defence, or defending the United States or another friendly country that comes under attack, in cases where Japan faces a “threat to its survival”.
The vote, a lively one by Japanese standards, was interrupted several times by opposition members protesting what they called the ruling parties heavy-handedness.
One opposition member used the tactics called the ox walk, where he sought to delay the vote by walking very slowly, before protesting what he called Japan’s bias to the United States and big businesses.
Japan’s ally the United States has welcomed the changes but China, where bitter memories of Japan’s wartime aggression run deep, has repeatedly expressed concern about the legislation.