Japan to allow military role overseas in historic

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Japan to allow military role overseas in historic move
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34287362?OCID=fbasia&ocid=socialflow_facebook

Japan's parliament has voted to 
allow the military to fight overseas for the first time since the end of
 World War Two 70 years ago. 
A vote on the new law was delayed for several hours as the opposition tried to stop the measure coming into force.
Outside, demonstrators rallied in a last-ditch show of protest. 
Many Japanese are attached to the pacifist provisions in the constitution which banned fighting overseas. 
The bills have already passed through the government-dominated lower house.

                 There was heavy security outside parliament ahead of the vote

The government says that the changes in defence 
policy are vital to meet new military challenges such as those posed 
from a rising China.
It wanted to hold the vote before a five-day 
holiday begins on Saturday. The governing coalition has a majority in 
both chambers of the Diet, meaning that ultimately the opposition camp 
was powerless to stop the measure becoming law. 
Masaaki Yamazaki,
 the president of the upper house, said the bills were passed with 148 
lawmakers voting in support and 90 against. 
                                                                                                    More than 200 hours have been spent deliberating the legislation, the Japan Times reported, and its approval by parliament fulfils one of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's long-held ambitions.
On Thursday, opposition politicians tried to physically delay proceedings ahead of a committee vote on the bills.

What is collective self-defence?
Japan's
 post-World War Two constitution bars it from using force to resolve 
international conflicts except in cases of self-defence.
Mr Abe's 
government has pushed for security legislation that would allow Japan's 
military to mobilise overseas when these three conditions are met:
when Japan is attacked, or when a 
close ally is attacked, and the result threatens Japan's survival and 
poses a clear danger to people
when there is no other appropriate means available to repel the attack and ensure Japan's survival and protect its people 
use of force is restricted to a necessary minimum 
What's behind Japan's military shift?
The bills prompted large public protests for months. 
The
 changes re-interpret rather than formally change the constitution. But 
critics say this will violate the pacifist constitution and could lead 
Japan into unnecessary US-led wars abroad.

                 Image copyright
                 EPA

                Image caption

                    Prime Minister Abe had hoped to have the bill passed before a five-day holiday started on Saturday

                 Image copyright
                 AP

                Image caption

                    Demonstrators rallied in a last-ditch show of protest against the legislation on Friday

Speaking in parliament on Friday, Akira Gunji, of 
the opposition Democratic party, said: "We should not allow such a 
dangerous government to continue like this.
"Prime Minister Abe's security bill is a threat to our legal framework."
Supporters
 of the measures, which are backed by Washington, insist they are 
essential for the defence of Japan and its regional allies, and will 
permit greater involvement in peacekeeping activities around the world.
What kinds of military actions would the laws allow?
Japan would be able to provide 
logistical support to South Korea if the North invaded, though Mr Abe 
has said it would still be against the constitution to send Japanese 
troops to fight on Korean soil.
It would be legal for Japan to shoot 
down a North Korean missile headed for the US. Currently, they have to 
threaten Japan to justify shooting them down. North Korea is thought to 
be several years from being able to hit mainland US targets though.
Military action to keep shipping lanes
 secure, such as minesweeping, even if in an active conflict zone, might
 be allowed if the restriction on shipping was severe enough to 
constitute a threat to Japan's survival. But there have been different 
answers on how severe that restriction would have to be - especially 
relevant for resource-poor Japan. The deputy leader of the Mr Abe's 
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Masahiko Komura, has said that 
relatively minor problems like an oil price increase would not be enough
 - there would have to be a clear danger to people in Japan. 
Armed involvement in hostage rescues 
would also become possible. In January 2013, 10 Japanese hostages were 
killed at the Amenas gas plant in Algeria.
Regional limits on Japanese military support for US and other foreign armed forces would also be eliminated.
Critics have focused on what they say is ambiguity in how the 
principles of the legislation will be interpreted, and the possibility 
that future governments will interpret them more broadly.

What do you guys think of this move?

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hachiban08 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Moderator Joined: December 06 2007 Location: California, USA Status: Offline Points: 15627	Post Options Post Reply Quote hachiban08 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Japan to allow military role overseas in historic Posted: September 18 2015 at 5:42pm
	Japan to allow military role overseas in historic move http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34287362?OCID=fbasia&ocid=socialflow_facebook Japan's parliament has voted to allow the military to fight overseas for the first time since the end of World War Two 70 years ago. A vote on the new law was delayed for several hours as the opposition tried to stop the measure coming into force. Outside, demonstrators rallied in a last-ditch show of protest. Many Japanese are attached to the pacifist provisions in the constitution which banned fighting overseas. The bills have already passed through the government-dominated lower house. There was heavy security outside parliament ahead of the vote The government says that the changes in defence policy are vital to meet new military challenges such as those posed from a rising China. It wanted to hold the vote before a five-day holiday begins on Saturday. The governing coalition has a majority in both chambers of the Diet, meaning that ultimately the opposition camp was powerless to stop the measure becoming law. Masaaki Yamazaki, the president of the upper house, said the bills were passed with 148 lawmakers voting in support and 90 against. More than 200 hours have been spent deliberating the legislation, the Japan Times reported, and its approval by parliament fulfils one of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's long-held ambitions. On Thursday, opposition politicians tried to physically delay proceedings ahead of a committee vote on the bills. What is collective self-defence? Japan's post-World War Two constitution bars it from using force to resolve international conflicts except in cases of self-defence. Mr Abe's government has pushed for security legislation that would allow Japan's military to mobilise overseas when these three conditions are met: when Japan is attacked, or when a close ally is attacked, and the result threatens Japan's survival and poses a clear danger to people when there is no other appropriate means available to repel the attack and ensure Japan's survival and protect its people use of force is restricted to a necessary minimum What's behind Japan's military shift? The bills prompted large public protests for months. The changes re-interpret rather than formally change the constitution. But critics say this will violate the pacifist constitution and could lead Japan into unnecessary US-led wars abroad. Image copyright EPA Image caption Prime Minister Abe had hoped to have the bill passed before a five-day holiday started on Saturday Image copyright AP Image caption Demonstrators rallied in a last-ditch show of protest against the legislation on Friday Speaking in parliament on Friday, Akira Gunji, of the opposition Democratic party, said: "We should not allow such a dangerous government to continue like this. "Prime Minister Abe's security bill is a threat to our legal framework." Supporters of the measures, which are backed by Washington, insist they are essential for the defence of Japan and its regional allies, and will permit greater involvement in peacekeeping activities around the world. What kinds of military actions would the laws allow? Japan would be able to provide logistical support to South Korea if the North invaded, though Mr Abe has said it would still be against the constitution to send Japanese troops to fight on Korean soil. It would be legal for Japan to shoot down a North Korean missile headed for the US. Currently, they have to threaten Japan to justify shooting them down. North Korea is thought to be several years from being able to hit mainland US targets though. Military action to keep shipping lanes secure, such as minesweeping, even if in an active conflict zone, might be allowed if the restriction on shipping was severe enough to constitute a threat to Japan's survival. But there have been different answers on how severe that restriction would have to be - especially relevant for resource-poor Japan. The deputy leader of the Mr Abe's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Masahiko Komura, has said that relatively minor problems like an oil price increase would not be enough - there would have to be a clear danger to people in Japan. Armed involvement in hostage rescues would also become possible. In January 2013, 10 Japanese hostages were killed at the Amenas gas plant in Algeria. Regional limits on Japanese military support for US and other foreign armed forces would also be eliminated. Critics have focused on what they say is ambiguity in how the principles of the legislation will be interpreted, and the possibility that future governments will interpret them more broadly. What do you guys think of this move?
	Be prepared! It may be time....^_^v

hachiban08 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Moderator Joined: December 06 2007 Location: California, USA Status: Offline Points: 15627	Post Options Post Reply Quote hachiban08 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: September 21 2015 at 11:43am
	China warns Japan over expanding military role abroad http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34301456 China has said Japan is endangering peace in the region after it passed controversial laws expanding the role of its military abroad. Japan should learn "profound lessons from history", China's defence ministry said after Japan's parliamentary vote. The vote allows Japanese troops to fight overseas for the first time since the end of World War Two 70 years ago. Tensions between China and Japan have escalated in recent months over a group of islands to which both lay claim. The security laws were voted through Japan's upper house late on Friday, with 148 lawmakers voting in support and 90 against. It followed nearly 200 hours of political wrangling, with scuffles breaking out at various points between the bills' supporters and opposition members attempting to delay the vote. Reaction snapshot: "Japan's military stance has potentially become more dangerous... It is deplorable that [Prime Minister Shinzo] Abe, after acknowledging the mistake Japan had made over 70 years ago, is now choosing to repeat the same mistake" - China's Xinhua news agency The laws will add to "fears that an arms race could be sparked with China and its neighbours". Seoul will find it hard to boost security cooperation with Tokyo without "a frank apology" for Japan's actions in the past - South Korea's Hankyoreh newspaper The government says that the changes in defence policy are vital to meet new military challenges such as those posed from a rising China. But China's defence ministry said on Saturday they "run counter to the trend of the times that upholds peace, development and co-operation", the Xinhua news agency reports. "The move has breached the restrictions of Japan's pacifist constitution," the ministry added. Many Japanese who opposed the bills - which prompted large public protests - were also attached to the pacifist provisions in the constitution that banned fighting overseas. China also urged Japan to "heed the security concern" of its Asian neighbours and do more to promote regional peace and stability. South Korea, which also has a tense relationship with Japan, has warned Tokyo not to exercise the new defence laws without its approval. But the US, Japan's ally, and the UK have both welcomed the changes. UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said he looked forward to Japan "taking an increasingly active part in peacekeeping operations". What is collective self-defence? Japan's post-World War Two constitution bars it from using force to resolve international conflicts except in cases of self-defence. The new security legislation allows Japan's military to mobilise overseas when these three conditions are met: when Japan is attacked, or when a close ally is attacked, and the result threatens Japan's survival and poses a clear danger to people when there is no other appropriate means available to repel the attack and ensure Japan's survival and protect its people use of force is restricted to a necessary minimum What's behind Japan's military shift? Critics say the changes violate the pacifist constitution and could lead Japan into US-led wars abroad. Supporters of the measures insist they are essential for the defence of Japan and its regional allies, and will permit greater involvement in peacekeeping activities around the world. What kinds of military actions do the laws allow? Japan would be able to provide logistical support to South Korea if the North invaded, though Mr Abe has said it would still be against the constitution to send Japanese troops to fight on Korean soil. It would be legal for Japan to shoot down a North Korean missile headed for the US. Currently, they have to threaten Japan to justify shooting them down. North Korea is thought to be several years from being able to hit mainland US targets though. Military action to keep shipping lanes secure, such as minesweeping, even if in an active conflict zone, might be allowed if the restriction on shipping was severe enough to constitute a threat to Japan's survival. Armed involvement in hostage rescues would also become possible. In January 2013, 10 Japanese hostages were killed at the Amenas gas plant in Algeria. Regional limits on Japanese military support for US and other foreign armed forces would also be eliminated. Critics have focused on what they say is ambiguity in how the principles of the legislation will be interpreted, and the possibility that future governments will interpret them more broadly.
	Be prepared! It may be time....^_^v

Dutch Josh Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Adviser Group Joined: May 01 2013 Location: Arnhem-Netherla Status: Online Points: 95777	Post Options Post Reply Quote Dutch Josh Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: September 30 2015 at 3:17am
	Japan is part of a coalition to "contain" China. The Philipines are its center, South Korea, Viet Nam, India and Australia are also supposed to play a role in that "coalition". http://www.globalresearch.ca/obamas-pivot-to-asia-nato-like-project/5478832 Since each country has its own interests you might wonder how long such a coalition could last. China-Russia (and Iran) play their own game. Viet Nam and the Philipines could give up interests in the East/South China-Sea for trade with China.
	We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. ~Albert Einstein

Japan to allow military role overseas in historic

Japan to allow military role overseas in historic move

What is collective self-defence?

What kinds of military actions would the laws allow?

China warns Japan over expanding military role abroad

Reaction snapshot:

What is collective self-defence?

What kinds of military actions do the laws allow?