Japan Ignores Protesters, Authorizes Overseas Military Operations

Move Was Loudly Backed by US, Which Envisions Japanese Support in Future Wars

by Jason Ditz,

Ignoring polls that showed a showing a strong majority of Japanese voters opposed, and weeks of massive public protests, the upper house of the Japanese parliament today voted in favor of changes to reverse limits on warfighting in the post-WW2 Japanese Constitution, allowing the military to conduct overseas operations in “collective defense” of allies.

The limits were imposed after WW2 by the United States to prevent Japan rearming, but it was ironically also the US that pushed heavily to pitch those restrictions, envisioning growing Japanese military involvement in their assorted wars abroad. Current PM Abe Shinzo backed the move heavily, though polls show it is hurting his favorability ratings quite a bit.

The real question yet to be resolved is exactly how much this vote loosens restrictions on Japanese wars abroad, as Abe and other politicians have downplayed the matter, while military officials say there will be “almost nothing” they won’t be able to do abroad in the future.

And while many in the military are salivating at the budget hikes this upgrade portends, some are expressing concern that the change is going to open up increasing US pressure to join the war against ISIS and other major conflicts, and risks a US backlash if they refuse.

http://news.antiwar.com/2015/09/18/japan-ignores-protesters-authorizes-overseas-military-operations/