Japan Self-Defense Forces authority-expanding law first step towards country’s transformation

Oct. 2, 2015 - PRLog -- The new law on expanding the authorities of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) – a foster project of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), that had been approved by the LDP-dominated National Diet on September 18, 2015 – was the first step towards the country’s transformation and introduction of amendments to the country’s Constitution, writes Zachary Fillingham, expert for Geopolitical Monitor, in his article “Japan: PM Abe puts pacifism on notice” published in the foreign media.

For the first time since WWII, JSDF can be deployed overseas even without any direct threat to the country, he reminds.

According to the observer, the decisions made by the Japanese authorities after months of heated debate caused outrage in the society, stirred up criticism from the opposition, and substantially undermined Prime Minister’s ratings.

“Pacifism runs deep in Japan, having served as one of the main pillars of its post-war constitution for 70 years. Its legacy is apparent in the protests surrounding the security law’s passage and the drawn out legal challenges that are sure to follow,” the author suggests.

He points out that JSDF can be deployed in the event of an attack on the country or its close ally, but only as a last resort and with minimal use of force sufficient to repel the threat.

The expert thinks that a loose interpretation of the aforementioned preconditions may transform JSDF into a tool for preemptive strikes or acts of intimidation.

“Here’s a little taste of the semantic gymnastics coming soon to the floor of the Diet: Japan is an island, sea-faring nation that depends on the free flow of trade for its very survival. A small deterrent force would be the minimum response required to guarantee this free flow of strategic imports such as oil, food, etc. And voila, Japan can dive headfirst into tumultuous waters of the South China Sea,” the Geopolitical Monitor analyst writes.

The Japanese public and the opposition claim that the new law is inconsistent with Article 9 of the 1947 Japanese Constitution that outlaws war as a means to settle international disputes, he adds.

However, the author suggests there is a possibility that the Japanese PM could have done it intentionally.

“Those inclined towards skepticism could be forgiven for wondering whether the law was set up to fail a legal challenge on its constitutionality. This would frame the constitution itself as the problem, allowing Abe to target the golden goose of his rehabilitation project: an amendment of Article 9,” the expert stresses, explaining that the topic in question will be on the frontlines during the elections to the upper house of the National Diet in 2016.

In his opinion, the Japanese PM is ready to sacrifice much to transform the country into a full-fledged world power that is able to take part in peacekeeping operations for its national objectives, but that would require overcoming the strong opinion of the public.

“It is just an opening volley in a much wider struggle to define the very essence of modern Japan. […] If Shinzo Abe’s endgame is in fact a constitutional amendment and a sea change in how the Japanese people view their country, it’s going to be a long and contentious process, and no one knows that more than he does,” the author emphasizes.

There also might be an economic element in Prime Minister’s plan, he suggests.

“A previous ban on the export of military technology was relaxed in April, freeing the way for Japan’s entry into international arms markets. Though Tokyo has only sold missile parts to the United States so far, it’s only a matter of time until it secures a larger contract for one of Japan’s more advanced weapon platforms,” Zachary Fillingham writes.

Full text news agency "PenzaNews":http://penzanews.ru/en/opinion/59641-2015