Far Eastern affairs.

[gunjur]

Japan: Miracale in asia 1963 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOpQGuluv38)



Steel industry - Japan post WW-II (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CsjgLju_wA)

[Atri]

Interesting and welcome development.

Japan sheds pacifist constitution, gives military more powers

BEIJING: Japan on Tuesday amended its pacifist constitution giving more powers to the military, causing serious worries in China and South Korea. Japan's military had remained shackled to a self-defensive role since the Americans drafted the island nation's constitution after World War II.

The new decision by the Shinzo Abe cabinet is expected to escalate Japan-China dispute over Diaoyu Islands in East China Sea. "Japan might now even step up its efforts to support Vietnam and Philippines, which too are engaged in territorial disputes with China," a source said.

The Cabinet decision permits the Abe government to authorize greater military engagement in times of national threats, and even when a country friendly to Japan faces territorial risks. Japan has cited its dispute with China over Diaoyu Islands as the reason for amending the constitution.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei reacted to Tokyo's move saying, "China opposes the Japanese fabricating the China threat to promote its domestic political agenda.

"We demand that Japan respect the reasonable security concerns of its Asian neighbors and prudently handle the relevant matter," Hong said. "Japan must respect its neighbors' security concerns, not harm the national sovereignty and security interests of China and not undermine regional peace and stability."

The South Korean foreign ministry stated, "When it comes to Japan's security discussion, the Japanese government should dispel doubts and concerns stemming from history, abandon historical revisionism and behave properly in a bid to win confidence from its neighboring countries."

Under the new resolution, the Japanese government is entitled to order military action when there are "clear dangers" to the lives and rights of Japanese people due to armed attacks on Japan or to "countries with close ties" with Japan.

"It will enable Japan to take military action to defend other countries even though the nation itself is not under attack, marking a major overhaul from Japan's exclusively defence-oriented policy in the postwar era," China's news agency, Xinhua, said.

China is worried Japan will use the amended constitution to encourage Philippines and Vietnam to enhance their opposition to China's claims over islands in South China Sea. Japan recently offered patrol boats to the Philippines coast guard, which is engaged in trying to stop Chinese ships in the disputed islands area.

According to the cabinet decision, Japan would despatch more personnel of its self-defense force, as the Japanese military is called, to "gray zone" low intensity situations that stop short of military attacks. The Diaoyu Islands could be defined as one such area. The government is also entitled to examine extending logistical and other support in peacekeeping missions overseas.

Japan's Kyodo News Agency said the government is expected to prepare the legal framework by revising and creating relevant laws to implement the policy change