日本民众上街游行抗议安保法
今日，日本备受争议的安保法付诸实施。数千日本民众上街游行抗议安保法。
Today, Japan's controversial new security laws come into effect. They enable the nation to send its troops overseas, marking an overhaul to seven decades of Japan's exclusively defensive posture. This major shift has long faced criticism.
Thousands of Japanese took to the streets over the weekend in many parts of the country and protested against the new security policy. Many had gathered around the diet building, calling for Shinzo Abe to step down and put a stop to Japan exercising the collective self-defense.
Japanese citizens protest against new security law
"No matter what lists of reasons Mr. Abe gave, or conditions that he promised in exercising the collective self defense, it means the same thing. Japan is readying itself to take arms and become a country that will participate in war," one woman said.
Under the new laws, the Japanese defense forces can now defend the United States or other friendly nations under armed attack, but the conditions under which it can be exercised also states that IF Japan’s survival is under threat.
"It's contradictory because Mr. Abe's arguments are all theoretical. once the troops are on the ground, where can they draw a line? One thing will lead to another and before you know the troops are involved in an escalating conflict. It is better to not do it at all," one protester said.
Japanese self Defense forces have been dispatched for non-combat peace keaping operations to number of countries in the past.
Although these missions were also conducted under the grey zone of "interpretation of the constitution", It was more acceptable as they were all restricted in non-combat areas.
Public worry that the new laws will allow Japanese troops to be place in combat areas, in aiding the friendly nations under attack.
Protests against the security policy is heating up once again in Japan. People are gathering in front of the diet building demanding to withdraw Abe's security agenda and for him to step down. There is a strong fear that Abe is slowly making his way to his next goal in revising the article 9 of the constitution.
Many of those who oppose felt they have lost a chance to scrap the new security laws. Now they are hoping to put a stop to prime minister Shinzo Abe's intention to change the Japanese pacifist constitution.
