Man sues gov't over expansion of military role

@cleo: (and also being able to make some money from arms sales)

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I think this is the main reason of Abe. Weapons are different now. Japan probably mass produce robot soldiers and market to countries who hate to use people soldiers.

Think about it this way. If Japan starts building up their military, then maybe the U.S. Won't be needed in the future to protect Japan. I don't get it. You want the U.S. military gone but when Japan starts to build up its military again you say no.

But Abe is not trying to build up Japan's military so that the US won't be needed. 'Collective self-defence' means Japan joining in with America's wars (and also being able to make some money from arms sales), it has nothing to do with Japan being able to 'hold their own'. Japan will not start any wars, but Abe is laying the country open to being drawn into America's wars, against the will of the majority of the population and in direct violation of the constitution.

Think about it this way. If Japan starts building up their military, then maybe the U.S. Won't be needed in the future to protect Japan. I don't get it. You want the U.S. military gone but when Japan starts to build up its military again you say no. Make up your minds people! Japan won't start a war. That is highly unlikely. Japan isnt't what it used to be. They're just trying to be able to hold their own if they have to... Think about it, the U.S. won't be around forever. So how will Japan defend themselves. By expanding their military.

@Speaklike: Japan also has been paying USA every year to let stay in bases in Japan. More than 2 billion dollars a year. Japan has been helping USA very much.

To: B.B.Q.DemonJUL. 12, 2014 - 12:35PM JST: "Japan hasn't really helped out the USA so much."

Do you know America used Japan as the primary station during the Korean War? Do you know how many American military stations still exist in Japan? What I meant was that you cannot simply assume that today's friends are also tomorrow's friends. America, a short-sighted viewer, knows how to play a game to only benefit themselves. American politics is well-known for that. They do only the things that benefit for them. My view is that Japan has been greatly influenced by the American way of thinking: conquering the world by aggression and violence. That is terrifying.

I'd like to see the U.S.A. follow suit and start suing some of their ex-politicians.

Then maybe the fledgling police state would quieten down a little.

Elsewhere, Mitsushige Yamanaka, mayor of Matsuzaka city also in Mie Prefecture, said this month he plans to launch a grass-route movement eying a similar lawsuit against the central government.

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Well, his sueing Govt may not succeed but this is more effective than street demonstrations or Middle East type riots. Already one mayor is considering to sue Government. Japanese attorneys will be very busy from now on, I'd bet.

Meanwhile, Japan's enemies watch on with delight.

Strength is the only sure determinant of peace.

Tokinao Chindo-san is right.

Changing the constitution and building up Japan's military is the surest way to plunge this country into the chaos of war.

But the majority are happy with the way things are. Abe is completely out of step with the majority. One of his main goals is weapons exports. Admittedly there is a lot of money to be made in that area, but it goes against Japan's pacifist spirit, which is one of Japan's great strengths. To bad Abe is putting personal greed and ego ahead of what is good for Japan.

You seriously think you can take on the Japanese government over the amendment of the constitution. Don’t get me wrong, if you have the will to stand up and take on the government to exercise your democratic right, good on you. It is important to have people voices their concerns especially in a democracy society like Japan. However, you must also respect the majority.

The problem for Mr.Chindo is that the reinterpretation itself is just the government's opinion of what Article 9 actually means, just like all of us are entitled to our own interpretation. Unless they act on that interpretation, no-one can claim that anything unconstitutional has actually occured.

Many people will probably show up outside of the court on the day of the hearing to show support, so its not a complete waste of time even if the case itself isn't successful.

8 hours straight today, 9 hours straight tomorrow from 11 to 8 of SDF documentaries/commercials on the History japan channel

By the way his son is Hayato Chindo (age 45), a member of the Japan Restoration Party. What's important is whether Japan's democracy is moving toward the right direction.

Im interested to see how this case goes. Regardless of ones position on collective defence, it has to be said that the way that Abe went about doing this is completely undemocratic and makes a mockery of the rule of law. Dont like the constiuttion? Cant follow the legal process to change it because your views don`t have the backing of the Japanese people? No problem, just announce unilaterally that the constitution means whatever the hell you want it to mean.

If the judiciary has any guts (and sadly, it has historically not) it should slap this down in a heartbeat.

@SpeakLikeGhandi: Osewa ni nattakara is said to someone who has helped you a lot. Therefore, it isn't that the USA has no sense of that, but that it's that Japan hasn't really helped out the USA so much.

Talking about fanatism: those protesters certainly have lots of it.

oldman_13 is correct. Japan is much freer that some people would give it credit for. Had someone like Chindo tried in this China we all know where that would go.

Well well, once again, individual Japanese citizens to absolutely disprove the negative stereotypes about all Japanese as being ignorant, xenophobic, war mongering, hateful people, afraid to stand out against the public grain.

Good exercise in Democracy

Chindo, who experienced World War II as a small child, told AFP: "I want to pass on the message 'never wage war' to the next generation." His statement is very important and true. The Japanese young people don't know much about World War II. The Japanese government has been much influenced by the aggression of the America government's foreign policy. Japan assumes that America is always on its side. Japan thinks if something happens, America always provides a military support for them. But, think hard. The world's power balance is changing. America is a practical thinker. America has no such sense, "Osewa-ni-nattakara..." Japan should think what if Japan has no support from America when the next war starts. Without America, Japan has no war power: no equipment, no super computer, and no effective language (English) skills. It is better that Japan stays as a pacifist nation and doesn't even think a little to participate in any war in the future. Don't forget that 200,000 ordinary Japanese, children, women and elders, were killed by one drop of the bombs.

FightingViking Building up military power would not work in safeguarding Japan but would only lead to an arms race, said Chindo. Unfortunately, I think he's right..

.What brought the iron curtain down was the resolve of leaders like Reagan, Thatcher Kohl ,etc to demonstrate they were seriously committed to peace, by the show of strength. . . ."Satyagraha" does not work in some instances.

Building up military power would not work in safeguarding Japan but would only lead to an arms race, said Chindo.

Unfortunately, I think he's right...