By Mina Pollmann
Shinzo Abe and the LDP plan to submit security legislation for approval during this session of Japan’s Diet.
The Japanese Diet convened yesterday for a 150-day ordinary session, set to last until June 24. During this period, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)-Komeito coalition government is expected submit 70 to 80 bills for consideration, of which approximately ten will deal with security issues to loosen restrictions on the use and dispatch of Self-Defense Forces overseas. Before the Diet opened, Abe addressed a meeting of LDP politicians and stated, “This is an extremely important Diet… We also must establish security legislation to protect the lives of Japanese and our peaceful way of life.”
The government’s challenge is to craft a legal framework for Japan to “seamlessly” respond to crises in which it will exercise its right to collective self-defense. Japan has the right to collective self-defense, or the right to come to the aid of an ally under armed attack, in accordance with the reinterpretation of its constitution last July.
In order to fully utilize the SDF, the government will examine conditions under which the right to collective self-defense can be invoked, in particular how the SDF can be defensively mobilized to come to the aid of a country with close ties to Japan. This has led to concerns about how foreign entanglements could endanger Japanese lives. For example, Komeito, LDP’s junior coalition partner, is unenthusiastic about sending minesweepers to the Strait of Hormuz before a ceasefire agreement is reached.
Read the full story at The Diplomat