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Rally against constitution reform

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Protesters shout slogans during a march around the Diet building in Tokyo on Tuesday. The group was protesting against the Japanese government's plan to reform the constitution to enable an expanded role for the military. The placards read: "Exercise of the right of collective self-defense equals a war."

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Joe Bigs,

Thanks for your eloquent response.

Leadership, yes. Dictatorship, no. Agreed 100% To a very limited extent. Beyond comfort levels, it doesn't bring extra happiness. Unhappy or psychologically challenged people, perhaps. Points 5 and 6 - are we talking Wall Street, the military industrial complex, Monsanto or McDonalds?

Have a great day on Planet Bigs!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

wtfjapanMAY. 14, 2014 - 10:38AM JST No loudspeakers. I appreciate that. unfortunatley nice polite protest dont do anything, Jgov knows it will just die down eventually and when the law is changed it will be all over.

Those protesting are a huge minority who support Communist China.

The only way that will happen is if those Communist protesters used Mao's Red Terror tactics here in Japan. But, the Communist in Japan tried that from 1970 to 2001, they were known as the Red Army. Didn't work for them very well most of the members went to prison, are hiding out like rats or dead.

wtfjapanMAY. 14, 2014 - 10:38AM JST Japanese need to protest in larger numbers and more aggressively (non violent) loud speakers in the face of every J politition everyday going to work going home

Again, if the Communist here did that they would have 2 protesters for every one Diet politician. They don't have the numbers or the support of the people to do that. Communism is a dinosaur whose time has passed. It's just a matter of time before it will be just a scarey tale told by grandparents to their grand-kids.

wtfjapanMAY. 14, 2014 - 10:38AM JST even when they sleep if possible. nothing will change in Japan until people grow a pair and really protest in the faces of the people they put in power.

If those Communist here followed your advise there would be 2500 old Communist in jail for harassment. And who wants to see 70 year old Communist tossed in jail? Oh yeah, me.....

As for your request that Japan grow a pair, well, the majority of Japan is happy with the work Prime Minister Abe has been doing and support him. The funny thing is here is, Communist just can't understand why anyone don't see the world as they do, Japan bad Communist China good. They also can't understand why anyone wouldn't want to live in a Communist utopia.

Well, the real simple answer is that a Communist utopia is really just a nightmare filled with death to anyone who can't conform to being rationed. If you lived in one and actually saw it for what it is worth you too would be completely against it as I am.

The Japanese people see who is the real threat to peace in Asia and it's not Abe or Japan. It's Communist China and it's Imperial Dream.

Also, most of the world also see through Communist China's threat, only ones that don't are the ones who Communism.

SenseNotSoCommonMAY. 14, 2014 - 11:50PM JST @JoeBigs That's why China and Vietnam are such great buddies, then?

No, that' proof that Communism is a pipe-dream made-up by someone living in a fantasy world. Marx had a believed that the world would clasp hands together and sing kumbayah when everyone in the world accepted Communism. But, he didn't take certain things into account

Only way for people to stay happy is if they have a leader. People love to express themselves and be creative. Normal people want some kind of wealth. People naturally greedy, prideful, petty, violent, jealous and envious. Thugs always flock together and the strongest normally wins leadership. Usually he/she isn't the smartest. When a small group of thugs want a majority to give into them they will do some barbaric things to get their way.

Hope that helped you see reality for what it is.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Japan has no business sending troops to other countries. We should of learned our lesson from the last war. While I support the Self Defense Force and defending Japan. I do not support a return to the Imperial military and a return to Japan fighting wars. China harps now about the Japanese military threat. If a full military would happen then it would give them a real reason to act.

While I was not alive for the Pacific war, I knew a lot of people that were in it. Millions of people died in that war and thus Japan should do everything possible to prevent another.

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@JoeBigs

Remember, Communist are allied with each other and do what is needed to ensure that their allies win, because if one wins they all win.

That's why China and Vietnam are such great buddies, then?

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But if you live next to China , you just can't have peace if you are so weak , grandmothers.

proximity has nothing to do with it. just ask the iraqis.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

This is really silly. Japanese people don't want US military presence in Japan, and they are against the expansion of their own military. In a perfect world where there is peace, love, and strawberry fields forever, this may be okay, But in reality, you have both China and North Korea with missiles pointed at us, so you can't have it both ways otherwise you are looking at full on invasion.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

War is no. Working for peace ,yes. But if you live next to China , you just can't have peace if you are so weak , grandmothers.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Please forgive these old housewives for they know not what they do.

Bored and need a band wagon to jump on.

If japan does not arm up it will find itself the next Chinese speaking island within 20years.

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

@ Joe Biggs

Very true, and spot on.

China’s foreign policy is doing all the work to support the views of Abe and U.S. hawks. Why? Every time China does some gun boat diplomacy, like the SCS Chinese oil platform off Vietnam’s coast which could lead to war between Vietnam and China at some point, is only cementing the case that a CCP run China is a Asian and modern day version of Wilhelmine Germany.

We cannot forget: The situation between Japan and China is not one on one. It involves the Philippines, Vietnam, India, Taiwan, South Korea, Australia, the U.S. and others. The narrative is China is on a mission to oppress the rest of Asia by military force, and what China started doing around 2010 is make that narrative into truth by their own foreign policy of ticking off one country after another and making bellicose statements about Chinese superiority.

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Now, what the story forgot to mention that present at this 2,500 person hoopla were, drumroll please.......

Japanese Communist Party President Kazuo Shii, Social Democratic Party leader Mizuho Fukushima and Kenji Utsunomiya.

Talk about a Communist shindig, the only thing they made sure not to bring was their own Communist flags.

They should have called this tiny winy protest, "we love and support Communist China rally".

Remember, Communist are allied with each other and do what is needed to ensure that their allies win, because if one wins they all win.

-10 ( +2 / -12 )

Horizon360: Very well said and true! Sadly, I feel Kyushubill has probably described an accurate outcome to the end result of all this.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Women with first hand recollections of wartime life inside Japan have the highest respect for the honor of Article 9. In a way, it recompenses them personally for everything they lost and all that they suffered as survivors. It enshrines their collective experiences in the national memory as an inward looking promise given by them to future generations. Any modern (exigent) economic or political arguments made by the government for reneging on that promise insults their personal recollections of the hardships of those times. Worries about international reactions or reconciling historical claims have little if anything to do with these protests.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

And this will not change the fact the LDP is going to push this through the Diet and in a mandate on ballot the Japanese citizenry will vote how they are told to because the TV will have a cute anime mascot for the change and the trucks with the loud speakers will beat into them that this is inevitable.

Nice to see some are voicing opposition but this was all decided long ago. This is just the kabuki drama playing out.

Remember when the DPJ ousted the LDP in 2009. Many said correctly it would not last. The DPJ was going to embark on policies that were sure to fail and send the LDP right back. Well the LDP is back and now their changes are all but guaranteed. Blinkyhara, Hashimoto, et al in the Restoration Party are also on board with this. New Komeito may be uncomfortable with the issue, but have said they cannot challenge the LDP. There are no opposition parties of any consequence to challenge this, and the voters will vote as they are programmed to by the media and the pols.

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

Left sie 4 ladies shure look way older than 80;s. Look at their face, hands, and arms. They probably remember Entire Tokyo was nothing but B 24 fire bombed burned out chars. It is not Japanese custom to attack Govt with riot so they are doing protedt peacefully.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

In the current political environment especially hostility from China over dispute island or islands Japan must take urgent action to protect Japan. People must realise this, Japan is not prepare to invade anyone and it never going to happen because their Asian neighbours is a lot stronger now than 100 years ago. Nevertheless, this is all about protecting Japan from China military ambition. Take a closer look at the situation in the South China Sea, many of the islands belongs to Vietnam & Philippine has been invaded and this could be one day applied to the senkaku Island and who know what could happened next Japan? So let the government get on with their job and do what best for Japan.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Must I keep repeating myself like a broken record, that these pictures contradict the condescending stereotypes about all Japanese being mindless sheeple petrified to go against the grain and speak out publicly?

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ReaperIncMAY. 14, 2014 - 08:49AM JST

The sentiment of the elderly, such as in the picture, is also one that is understandable, survivors of the last war know its horrors and want to prevent repitition at all costs.

Pretty sure that those pictured are either boomers or born in during the end of the war and have no memory of it. Those who may actually recall the war are in their eighties and few of the actual veterans are able to get out of the house much if they are alive at all.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

No loudspeakers. I appreciate that. unfortunatley nice polite protest dont do anything, Jgov knows it will just die down eventually and when the law is changed it will be all over. Japanese need to protest in larger numbers and more aggressively (non violent) loud speakers in the face of every J politition everyday going to work going home, even when they sleep if possible. nothing will change in Japan until people grow a pair and really protest in the faces of the people they put in power.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I have seen quite a few people out on the streets in different parts of the city over the past week handing out little pamplets with tissue packs and having very civilized little demonstrations. No loudspeakers. I appreciate that.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

I am still not sure where I stand on this whole debate. I think having a pacifist constitution is a great thing and more countries should get one, but I also think that the one that Japan has is a bit too extreme.

I find it ridiculous that when Japanese SDF troops are working together under a UN mandate and they see a convoi of another nation within the mandate getting attacked that they will have to call another nation for back up and sit on their hands until they fixed the problem since the SDF troops themselves were not under attack. Not every combat situation evolves like this but the Japanese troops are severely limited in their options during combat situation as a result of the constitution.

I can also understand the Japanese government wanting to change the constitution to a more liberal version in terms of combat scenarios since tension in the region has been on the rise and the government wants the option for pre-emptive action if needed.

Then again, getting a more liberal constitution will cause tension in the region to rise as former occupied countries can very possibly see it as Japan opening the door to military aggression once again.

The sentiment of the elderly, such as in the picture, is also one that is understandable, survivors of the last war know its horrors and want to prevent repitition at all costs. I think their cause is the most honest and open one, its goals are clear. Whereas the governments plan is still somewhat vague on, possibly, very important details.

Complicated debate for sure, and considering the distrust currently running in the region one that will not be resolved easily.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Global warming is real. The Earth is getting more and more polluted. And there ain't no other place to go.

If we channeled the time, energy and money that we waste on what is laughingly called "defense" on ways to clean up the planet and make it sustainable, we could handle the problem.

Japan needs to cut back on its HUGE military spending - including the protection money - sorry "Sympathy Budget" paid to the U.S.A. It does not need to further antagonise its neighbours but to find out ways of getting on with them better and doing things that are of mutual benefit.

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