What's new

Japan's possible use of collective self-defense bound by Article 9: Abe

Krueger

BANNED
Joined
Mar 21, 2013
Messages
264
Reaction score
0
Country
United States
Location
United States
Kyodo News International
February 20,2014

shinzo-abe-of-japan-008.jpg


Prime Minister Shinzo Abe indicated Thursday that Japan's exercise of the right of collective self-defense will still be bound by war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution even if the government removes its self-imposed ban.

Presenting the ongoing discussions of a government panel on security, Abe told the budget committee of the House of Representatives, "The main idea of the discussion is that Japan's use of self-defense itself is restricted under Article 9, and it will also be the case for the right of collective self-defense."

The government will determine if Japan can exercise the right of collective self-defense to enable Japan to defend allies under armed attack, after the panel, launched at Abe's initiative, submits its report on the issue possibly in April.

On the process of how the government will change the current constitutional interpretation to exercise the right of collective self-defense, Abe said his Cabinet will first approve it before presenting it to the Diet.

Past governments have maintained that Japan has the right of collective-self defense under international law, but cannot exercise it due to the constraints of Article 9 that forbids the use of force to settle international disputes.

Abe wants to reinterpret the Constitution so Japan can come to the aid of an ally under armed attack even when the country has not been directly hit.

Still, there remains a hurdle for Abe and his ruling Liberal Democratic Party, as its junior coalition partner, the New Komeito party, remains reluctant to do away with the ban.

Abe also said Japan is now considering hosting a U.N. meeting on disarmament in Hiroshima next year, the 70th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

==Kyodo


Copyright 2014 Kyodo News International.
 
.
Back
Top Bottom