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Abe's Constitutional Reform Push Slows
Keywords:
A Nikkei poll shows only 36% of people in Japan support a reinterpretation of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution to allow "collective self defense," and 51% disapprove. Prime minister Abe cites the need for "thorough debate," and legislative moves in this area will be held back, to gain support for reforms in the agriculture and other sectors. Abe appears to have lost some goodwill for reform measures to launch the Third Arrow. In an address to the Australian parliament in English Abe made a committment to the principle underlying Article 9 by saying- "This vow that Japan made after the war is still fully alive today." He also stated that Japan woud never let the horrors of World War II be repeated. Japan and Australia have agreed to share military equipment, and Japan has a role in developing a submarine fleet for the Australian navy of 30 billion Australian dollars (US $28.1 billion). At about this time in Beijing U.S. leaders for the foreign and finance ministries, Lew and Kerry, met for the Strategic and Economic Dialogue sixth round in Beijing's Diaoyutai State guest house. China's president Jinping, probably aware of the waves created by its own assertive stance in the region and the response of neighbors and Japan, said that the Pacific was large enough to accomodate both the U.S. and China.
The Nikkei daily poll showing only 36% approve of the reinterpretation of the Constitution allowing collective defense and 51% disapprove- followed by the decision to go for "thorough" debate
07/09/2014
The Japanese people continue to support a policy of peaceful cooperation in Asia, and are wary of changing the principles underlying postwar peace in the region. The pacifist leaning New Komeito Party in the Abe coalition government supports restrictions on the reinterpretation. Abe may have lost some political goodwill on the issue which he needs for the reforms in agriculture and other areas of the economy for launching the Third Arrow. Facing skepticism prime minister Abe says he will take the time for a "thorough debate." In contrast to Japanese public opinion the Obama administration supported the moveas a way to counter China's assertive stance on territorial issues in the region. China's assertive stance followed a weak policy response from the Obama administration to Russian president Putin's intervention in the Middle East, including the Assad government in Syria's use of chemical weapons. Years of indecisive response and weakness may have led China to a miscalculation of the U.S. role in the Pacific, leading to its assertive stance on territorial issues and the Abe administration's response. In this situation the Japanese people have shown more sagacity about the wisdom of continuing with the principles which have supported postwar peace since 1945, than the Obama administration's waffling and indecision leading to support of an abrupt change in the basis of postwar peaceful cooperation in Asia through a hasty reinterpretation Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution. The U.S. has the same capabilities of maintaining peace in the Pacific region, as it has in the past, and in no way diminished in its will and purpose today, wthout a need for reinterpretation of the Constitution.
Grouped Articles
Abe's Constitutional Reform Push Slows
Wall Street Journal 07/09/2014
Polls Slow Japan’s Plan to Revise Constitution
New York Times 07/09/2014
Japan Inc. Now Exporting Weapons
Wall Street Journal 07/21/2014
Leaving U.S. Allies Adrift as Chaos Rises
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Abe, Xi Meet at Summit of Asian and African Nations
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Overcoming Japan’s Security Skeptics at Home
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Shinzo Abe, Japanese prime minister and nationalism in Japan
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Shinzo Abe's committment to change Article 9 in the consitution of Japan which limits Japan's military role. His maternal grandfather Nobusuke Kishi was commerce and industry minister during the war and was post war prime minister when the Japan-U.S. security treaty was signed. He was the first prime minister born in the postwar period when he became prime miister in 2006. He is less influenced by the legacy of the prewar and war period as described in his 2006 book "Toward a Beautiful Nation."
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Regional Threat Aids Abe's Bid to Boost Japanese Forces
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Wall Street Journal 04/26/2013
Most Japanese Support Change to Postwar Charter
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Election Win by Ruling Party Signals Change in Japan
New York Times 07/21/2013
The Limits on Nationalism in Japan
New York Times 07/23/2013
Japan Finance Minister Won't Resign After Nazi Remarks
Wall Street Journal 08/02/2013
Efforts to revise Japan's postwar constitution- 2013-2014
05/05/2013
Grouped Articles
Most Japanese Support Change to Postwar Charter
Wall Street Journal 05/05/2013
Election Win by Ruling Party Signals Change in Japan
New York Times 07/21/2013
Japan Finance Minister Won't Resign After Nazi Remarks
Wall Street Journal 08/02/2013
Tensions With China Shoring Up Japanese Prime Minister's Push to Build Up Military Capability
Wall Street Journal 12/01/2013
Abe's Constitutional Reform Push Slows
Wall Street Journal 07/09/2014
Polls Slow Japan’s Plan to Revise Constitution
New York Times 07/09/2014
Reinterpretation of Article 9 of Japan's constitution allowing "collective self-defense," under prime minister Abe
07/02/2014
Grouped Articles
Japan Policy Shift to Ease Restrictions on Military
Wall Street Journal 07/02/2014
Wall Street Journal 07/05/2014
The Time Is Ripe for Stronger U.S.-Japan Military Ties
Wall Street Journal 07/08/2014
Abe's Constitutional Reform Push Slows
Wall Street Journal 07/09/2014
Polls Slow Japan’s Plan to Revise Constitution
New York Times 07/09/2014
Japan Inc. Now Exporting Weapons
Wall Street Journal 07/21/2014
U.S. 2014 Navy exercizes in Subic Bay, Philippines, and in Hawaii (Pacific Rim) signalling hope and wariness in U.S.-China relations
07/02/2014
China is participating with the U.S. in the Pacific Rim naval exercizes in Hawaii. At the same time the naval exercizes in the Philippines are intended to counter China's influence and territorial claims in the region. Japan's shift in interpretation of Article 9 of the Constitution to allow "collective self-defense" is also intended to counter China and ally N. Korea's missiles. The shift is approved by Japan's cabinet at about the same time as the naval exercizes. U.S. experts on China such as World Bank head Zoellick see peaceful development and cooperation but there is wariness following territorial claims and counter claims in the Pacific. South Korea remains wary of Japan but is also wary of China's ally N. Korea, and generally supports the U.S. efforts in the Pacific. The key is to manage tensions in a constructive way with cooperation and dialogue.
Grouped Articles
Exercises in Hope—and Fear—in the Pacific
Wall Street Journal 07/02/2014
Wall Street Journal 07/05/2014
Chinese Leader, Underlining Ties to South Korea, Cites Japan as Onetime Mutual Enemy
New York Times 07/04/2014
U.S. Seeks to Salvage Dialogue With China at Beijing Summit
Wall Street Journal 07/08/2014
The Time Is Ripe for Stronger U.S.-Japan Military Ties
Wall Street Journal 07/08/2014
U.S., China try to emphasize potential for cooperation - The Washington Post
Washington Post 07/09/2014
China, the U.S. and Japan- the task of reestablishing peaceful cooperation in the Pacific region after the missteps of 2011-2013
07/09/2014
Meetings for the sixth round of the Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Bieijing between the U.S. and China, and Japanese prime minister's address to the Australian parliament in Canberra, at about the same time in July 2014, showing how the path of peaceful cooperation will have to be actively pursued to remain a reality. Underpinning the hopes of China, Japan and neighboring countries in Asia is the U.S. will and purpose for maininting the post war peace and stability for the benefit of all, that at times has been missing in the words and actions of the Obama administration. Lack of peace in the region would seriously affect China's effort to bring better incomes to the large majority of people still in the countryside and leave China stuck in middle income status of countries like Mexico, damage the prospects of improving incomes of billions of people in India, other parts of Asia and Latin America. In this sense the Japanese people have shown the wisdom of keeping the conditions of peace that have prevailed for the post war period, and the U.S. with undiminished will and purpose in its post war role can affirm the hopes of the people of the region, including the hope of people in China, India, Japan, S. Korea, and Latin America.
Linked Articles
U.S., China try to emphasize potential for cooperation - The Washington Post
Washington Post 07/09/2014
Abe's Constitutional Reform Push Slows
Wall Street Journal 07/09/2014
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