picture of the day

Night out

15 Comments

A protester holding a placard depicting Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe takes part in a rally against the proposed new security bills in front of the Diet building on Wednesday night.

© Japan Today

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.


15 Comments
Login to comment

The people have spoken, Mr Abe. Time to listen. Don't relent guys, keep at it!

2 ( +4 / -2 )

I love the fact that the citizens are willing to take action against Abe any way that they can. CONTINUE TO FIGHT!

5 ( +6 / -1 )

I think the constitution should be changed.

Sure, that's fine. If you want to change the constitution, then do so correctly, legally, and with copious input from the public for whom the constitution was ostensibly created to serve.

The Japanese people overwhelmingly disagree with Abe's efforts to effectively pave over Article 9. 58% oppose the changes and 68% see no need to cram the bills through this session. Only 29% of the public supports these bills, fewer than 1 in 3. It's appalling that Abe would take the approach he has with the bills, effectively adopting an "Only I know what's best for Japan" attitude that treads frighteningly close to super-egotistcal megalomania.

Add to this their unabashed efforts to convince the electorate that, "There's nothing to see here, folks. Move along now." Just this week, the ruling party expressed a desire to push the bills through by Friday because -- for f#ck's sake -- they didn't want protests interfering with holiday travel during Silver Week. We're talking about the most significant shift in Japanese defense policy in 70 years, and the LDP is worried about disrupting holiday merrymaking?!

The position Abe has consistently taken with these bills is that the public just doesn't fully understand them and that if they did, they'd be more supportive. By his own admission, he has done a poor job of pointing out precisely why these bills are in the best interests of the general public. If this is indeed the case, if the public simply needs to have that gap in understanding filled in, then why not take the time to do just that? Why the mad rush to cram these bill through the Diet?

Could it be because the bills make possible exactly the sort of combat scenarios that the public fervently wants to avoid?

Abe is trampling the constitution and spitting in the face of the electorate that he is duty-bound to serve with this ham-fisted approach he's taken with these security bills. No matter how this plays out over the next few days, Abe will go down historically as the first modern PM who worked tirelessly to place the people of Japan squarely in harm's way.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

KlausD,

abe ISNT changing the constitution he & his ilk are IGNORING it!

What they should do is try to change the constitution through proper political process & THEN they can monkey with defense bills etc.

But abe & clan are skipping all the important democratic bits & acting like dictators

3 ( +3 / -0 )

These cowards will be the last ones to stand up and fight for the defense of Japan

I bet all those who support the bill will the first to line up and sacrifice their lives for the defense of Japan!

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Sadly, doesn't matter what the people want--this government is no better than China's or North Korea's; they will do what they want for their own selfish purposes, to the detriment of the nation.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

If there's someone lying in your government Who ya gonna call? ABE-BUSTERS If he's changing the laws and it don't look good Who ya gonna call? ABE-BUSTERS I ain't afraid of no LDP I ain't afraid of no LDP If your country's losing money and freedoms, too Who can ya call? ABE-BUSTERS

You are really taking the piss out of it, aren't you? I had no idea Japanese protesters are so creative.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Sweet, but won't make a blind bit of difference to eventual outcome.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

If there's someone lying in your government Who ya gonna call? ABE-BUSTERS

If he's changing the laws and it don't look good Who ya gonna call? ABE-BUSTERS

I ain't afraid of no LDP I ain't afraid of no LDP

If your country's losing money and freedoms, too Who can ya call? ABE-BUSTERS

5 ( +6 / -1 )

These cowards will be the last ones to stand up and fight for the defense of Japan.

-18 ( +0 / -18 )

I think the constitution should be changed. Japanese have been taking a free ride for a long time, and are more than capable of helping out in dire situations.

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

I love it. Unilaterally reinterpreting Art. 9 and trying to pass unconstitutional bills is definetly something weird and it don't look good.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

Cool poster : D Glad to see people of all ages out against these bills.

12 ( +12 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites