Japan’s Lower House Approves Defense Bills

The lower house of parliament today passed a set of three bills that will give Japan its highest defense profile since World War II. The measures will pave the way for the nation’s military to provide noncombat support far from the country’s shores for U.S. forces retaliating for the Sept. 11 attacks in New York and Virginia.

Specifically, the nation’s Self-Defense Forces will be able to transport food, treat victims, help refugees and assist with logistics, as well as engage in search-and-rescue missions. The bills also allow SDF forces to use their weapons not only to protect themselves, but also to defend those under their care, such as refugees or injured soldiers.

Previously, Japan’s U.S.-written constitution has been interpreted to allow the nation to use its armed forces only if attacked directly on its home territory or in the immediately surrounding area.

Many Asian neighbors, colonized by Japan during the war, have watched the proposed change with wariness. Although China and South Korea have not directly opposed Japan’s effort to extend support to the international fight against terrorism, they have warned Tokyo to move carefully.

The key architect of the change is Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, seen as a new breed of leader willing to move without endless consensus-building.

The bills faced stiff opposition from some political quarters. In the end, however, the three-party government coalition had the votes to pass them into law despite concerns raised by some members of the Democratic Party of Japan, the largest opposition party.

The bills still must clear the upper house of Japan’s parliament, but approval there is considered pro forma. According to a recent Asahi newspaper poll, 51% of the public supports the new bills, while 29% opposes them.

But some critics say Japan has changed its policy without fully considering the implications. Even though the bills limit SDF forces to noncombat areas and require that parliament be warned at least 20 days before troops are dispatched, Japan could still find itself embroiled in hostilities it doesn’t anticipate, they say.

“This is a historical turning point,” said Natsuki Hayashi, international relations professor at Toyama University northwest of Tokyo. “That said, I wonder if most people are really considering what’s being voted for.”

The measures do bar the SDF from carrying ammunition for U.S. forces, and they are valid for only two years.