Abe Pushes for More Active Japanese Military

[bananas]

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140515/DEFREG03/305150038/Abe-Pushes-More-Active-Japanese-Military

Abe Pushes for More Active Japanese Military
May. 15, 2014
By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

TOKYO — Nationalist prime minister Shinzo Abe set out his case Thursday for beefing up pacifist Japan’s rules of engagement, saying he wants the armed forces to be able to enter battle in defense of allies.

Citing a rising climate of disquiet in north and southeast Asia, Abe said Japan needs to cast off constitutional strictures that have prevented its so-called Self Defence Forces from firing a shot in combat since 1945.

<snip>

Around 500 people demonstrated against the prime minister’s plans near his official residence, with some carrying banners that read “Exercising collective defense is equal to waging war”.

<snip>

... a poll of more than 2,000 adults nationwide showed 63 percent oppose the concept of collective defense, the Asahi Shimbun reported last month.

<snip>

[bananas]

1. Japan's Abe Bids to End Ban on Fighting Abroad

http://www.military.com/daily-news/2014/05/16/japans-abe-bids-to-end-ban-on-fighting-abroad.html

Japan's Abe Bids to End Ban on Fighting Abroad
Guardian (UK) | May 16, 2014 | by Justin McCurry

Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, has announced plans to lift the country's ban on fighting in conflicts overseas, a move certain to raise tensions with China and anger voters at home. He called for a review of how Japan interprets its pacifist constitution to allow its military to participate in conflicts beyond its borders.

In an apparent bid to address concerns in China and other parts of Asia where memories of Japan's wartime conduct remain strong, he said Japan would never again become "a country that wages war".

China, which is involved in a dispute with Japan over ownership of the Senkaku islands, which are known as the Diaoyu islands to the Chinese, is concerned by the prospect of a more assertive Japanese military. A foreign ministry spokeswoman, Hua Chunying, said China had "every reason to be highly vigilant on Japan's true intentions and its future development".

<snip>

While Barack Obama has voiced support for Japan playing a more active role in its security alliance with the US, the public is divided. Recent polls show a majority of voters oppose Japan's involvement in collective defence. One group of women has threatened to go on a "sex strike" to punish any man who supports Abe's move.

<snip>

[Octafish]

2. Pro-nuke, too.

Rolling back 68 years of peace-first foreign policy, seems War Inc has found its man in Japan.

[awoke_in_2003]

3. It won't be Japan who starts it...

it will be China.

[kristopher]

4. And you know that how?

Wars have a not-so-funny way of snowballing into reality out of nowhere.

[awoke_in_2003]

5. By their actions...

like claiming Japanese property as theirs, and trying to park oil rigs in Viet Nams territorial water. Oh, I forgot about the Philipines.