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WORLD NEWSSaturday 19 September
Japan enhances military’s role as security bills pass
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, center, waits at the lower house of the parliament in Tokyo, defend its allies even when cause of Japan’s wartime
Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. the country isn’t under at- aggression.
tack — for the first time “We demand that Japan
(AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) since the end of the World genuinely listen to just ap-
War II — and work more peals from both at home
MARI YAMAGUCHI The upper house’s ap- The legislation has sparked closely with the U.S. and and abroad, learning
Associated Press proval in the early hours of sizeable protests and de- other nations. Japan will from historical lessons and
TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Saturday makes the legisla- bate about whether Japan also be able to participate adhering to the path of
parliament has approved tion into law, reinterpreting should shift away from its more fully in international peaceful development,”
contentious legislation that Japan’s constitution and pacifist ways to face grow- peacekeeping, compared Chinese Foreign Ministry
enhances the role of the fundamentally changing ing security challenges. Ral- to its previous, mostly hu- spokesman Hong Lei told
country’s military by loos- the way it uses its military. lies have spread across the manitarian, missions. a regular news briefing Fri-
ening post-World War II Opponents say it violates nation especially after the “The legislation is necessary day. Previous postwar gov-
constraints, as the ruling Japan’s constitution and ruling parties approved the in order to protect the peo- ernments had all made
bloc defeated opposition puts the country at risk of bills in July in the more pow- ple’s lives and their peace- the notion of collective
parties’ last-ditch effort to becoming embroiled in erful lower house. ful livelihood, and it is to self-defense unconstitu-
block a vote. U.S.-led wars. Japan’s military can now prevent a war,” Prime Min- tional. But Abe’s Cabinet
ister Shinzo Abe told report- last year decided to allow
ers after the passage of a it by unilaterally adopting
total of 11 bills — one relat- a new interpretation of the
ed to international peace- constitution, instead of for-
keeping and a package of mally revising the charter,
10 others designed to allow saying it must be adapted
Japan’s military to defend to today’s increasingly
its allies in an action called challenging security envi-
“collective self-defense.” ronment. The constitutional
Dozens of constitution reinterpretation triggered
scholars, lawyers and other public criticism that Abe’s
legal experts have joined government undermined
protests, saying the legisla- democracy. In Washing-
tion allowing Japan to use ton, leaders of Senate
force to settle international committees overseeing
disputes violates its U.S.- U.S. defense and foreign
drafted postwar constitu- policy welcomed the leg-
tion that renounces a right islation’s passage, saying it
to wage war. would contribute to inter-
China said it and other national peace and secu-
Asian neighbors are close- rity and strengthen the U.S.-
ly watching the vote be- Japan alliance.q
China to respond firmly to any North Korea nuke test
C. BODEEN remains its biggest trading ranking Chinese officials in fourth nuclear test explo- to protest, and, according
Associated Press partner and source of as- Pyongyang. He snubbed a sion. Either a nuclear test to some indications, slowed
BEIJING (AP) — If North sistance, is thought to have prestigious military parade or a satellite launch would the flow of goods across
Korea launches a rocket the most leverage of any in Beijing earlier this month violate U.N. resolutions, the their border.
into space or conducts a nation over Kim Jong Un’s by instead sending an en- latter because the rocket A new nuclear test or rocket
nuclear test in the coming authoritarian country. voy, secretary of the ruling technology needed can firing could lead China to
weeks, as observers sus- Yet the degree of that influ- Korean Workers Party Choe also be used to develop enforce existing and future
pect it may, China is cer- ence has long been ques- Ryong Hae. long-range missiles. sanctions more vigorously.
tain to respond angrily, and tioned, particularly over Now, North Korean officials China’s response to North “China will strongly oppose
perhaps with an unprec- the almost four years since have signaled that they Korea’s last declared nucle- (a test or launch) and will
edented level of economic Kim took power following could mark the 70th an- ar test, in the spring of 2013, be sure to implement fu-
punishment. The question is the death of his father, Kim niversary of the founding was considered something ture United Nations resolu-
whether North Korea can Jong Il, who visited Chi- of its ruling Workers Party of a watershed in degree tions even more resolutely,”
be swayed even by its most na repeatedly and main- on Oct. 10 with a satellite of harshness. China swiftly said Zhang Liangui, a North
important ally. tained close ties with Bei- launch, and announced a joined the international Korea expert with the ruling
China, which fought on jing. Kim the younger has restart of atomic-fuel plants community in condemn- Communist Party’s main re-
North Korea’s side in the yet to make a trip to Chi- that prompted speculation ing the action, called in the search and training institute
1950-53 Korean War and na or receive any high- that it is preparing for its North Korean ambassador in Beijing.q
