Abe calls for constitutional reform debate, labor reforms as Diet opens

--Describing the two neighboring Asian countries as "inseparable," Abe said Japan "will seek to meet the expectations of the international community by developing friendly relations (with China) in a stable manner."

Abe finally admits that the relationship with China is "inseparable". High fives for that.

However, I am confused by "meet the expectations of the international community". Japan does this from Japan's interests, has nothing to do with third parties. Does Abe imply that he received an order from someone ? Or wherever he goes, people keep telling hims to get along with China ?

Japan has longest relationship with China than any other nations, Japanese don't need anyone to tell Japan that the relationship with China is inseparable. It is so obvious and so historical. Once upon time, Japan almost became a part of China.

He’s talking labor reforms again. Stand by for another round of ‘urges’ from the king of lip service!

Ooooo someone's hipo

Not hipo, hypocrite. Strange there's no more talk of those elusive arrows. What a pathetic joke!!!

oh yeah that pet project of his that the majority of Japanese are against.

Oh man! He's such a fox! Talks about 'labor reform' that we all know will never happen as he pursues his real goal of militarizing Japan again.

"We will be creating our nation, looking ahead 50 years or 100 years..."

More like looking back 100 years.

Polls are very specifically against Constitutional reform which is great. Unlike an election that brings up the usual suspects, a referendum brings out more citizens, and thus would fail spectacularly

Japanese are very much against constitutional reforms, want peace, do not want to build armies or re-arm etc.

With that being said, they rely on the USA literally to defend them. The US has been telling Japan to re arm and help them to help themselves. At the same time a large amount of us also want the Americans out and their bases too.

How does peace (with China, NK, and Russia mind you) come into the equation with the US bases leaving, not re arming and also not changing the constitution?

Seems like a pipe dream. Best option is to be strong enough so that nobody attacks you.

His last dabel whith labour reform resulted in a monthly legal increase of overtime from 40 hours to 100 hours except for construction workers, truck drivers and doctors all of whom are not covered. Not that realistically anyone is covered at all. So I'm dreading his latest interest in working people's conditions.

the problem with abe's "labor reform" is that many of them are just guidelines, without penalty for those who don't follow them. and there are so many loopholes with the "binding cap" on OT that it's farcical. true labor reform will never happen in japan because no one really wants it to happen. workers are too timid to rise up, and companies are too set in their ways to change.

true labor reform will never happen in japan because no one really wants it to happen. workers are too timid to rise up, and companies are too set in their ways to change.

Sadly, I think you are 100%, smack-bang correct..!

"Once upon a time, Japan almost became part of China". Yes, and in the middle of the last century, China almost became part of Japan. So how close can the two countries really become I wonder?

Told you! The day after the big drills in Tokyo to promote fear and hate.

Abe vowed to realize reciprocal visits by him and Chinese President Xi Jinping  

Might as well, as the societies both these two leaders envision seems to be getting more similar by the day. The group over the individual, power over the press, the oligarchy, exceptionalism. The great Asian century right? Go for it boys.

Tony W., wrong. Japan never occupied even a quarter of China. Indeed, during 1940s, Japan was thinking to move capital to China. But historically, Japan was a part of Chinese tributary state. 日本 is the name granted by Empress Wu about 1500 years ago. In many ways, Japan is a small China.

There should be an air-raid drill every time this devious blowhard gets up to speak.

PM Abe is set to revolutionise the whole of Japan with his reform agenda . All Japanese must extend their full support to him to achieve his objectives of revising Japan's pacifist constitution, carrying out labour forms ,making free preschool education available for small kids, cheap medicines and affordable medical care for the aged , providing day care facilities for the working mother and above all boosting Japan's defense capabilities for the next 50 to 100 years to safeguard its national interest in this unstable environment.

B.I Sharma: "All Japanese must extend their full support to him to achieve his objectives of revising Japan's pacifist constitution"

Why MUST all Japanese extend their full support, when MOST Japanese don't support what Abe wants to do with the Constitution? Are you suggesting Japan become the next North Korea? We MUST do what the Dear Leader wants, even though we don't want it?

I agree with you, Sharma. that's why LDP won the last election and Mr. Abe still sits in PM's seat.

I do not know why, but those who post comments here are almost always unti Abe. Their claim of most Japanese not wanting or not supprting Abe's attempt on constitution is groundless. Those who can read news papers know that all poles conducted by major media including the far left Asahi shimbun, which by the way took back its more than 30 false articles about ''comfort women" it spread about to the world and apologized for the wrong deed, turned out to be pro constitutional change. And the biggest age segment that suppoted the change was under 30 years. Young people. If Japan needs to be criticized for trying to have a decent defense capability, and the process is dubbed militalization, I do not know what you call other countries on the globe including our neighbors.

I mean polls.

chiccaco: "I do not know why, but those who post comments here are almost always unti Abe."

Look up the meaning of "majority", and look up the number of people against Abe changing Article 9 of the constitution. You'll find both are the same, and hence the majority of posters writing against what Abe wants to do. It's quite simple, really.

What's amusing is watching people like Abe, and yourself, rail against North Korea and talk about how big a threat it is, and then telling everyone we must sacrifice all for what our leader wants. Again, look at Sharma's wording: "All Japanese must extend their full support to him to achieve his objectives of revising Japan's pacifist constitution" and then remember that some 70% or so are against it. How is that different from North Korea if you guys demand we simply do what our leaders demands we do? How is Abe less of a threat to the people than Kim? You yourself insinuate that one newspaper be silenced and that it presents only lies, much like Kim does about any media that is not of his own choosing (they are a step up in censorship, but with the Secrets Law, not by much anymore).

You don't know why most posters on this site and others are against what Abe wants to do? It's because it is a representation of the people, much like a poll is a small number that often represents the sentiment of the larger whole.

You guys are the minority, and should not get what you want.

Don't be fooled by Abe and his change of the Constitution. Abe is just following Washington's orders of building a war machine to support the US and buying more US arms to support the US economy. The US wants to use Japan as cannon fodder for US military misadventures. Get rid of Abe and US bases in Japan and your relationship with your neighbours will improve.

In next 50 to 100 years, Japan will be no longer the No 3 economy in the world. China will be the No 1. Abe is better off to be realistic. Last year, Japan and China trade increased by 28%, as consequence, Japan had the best growth. Nothing needs to be said to the relationship between Japan and China. It is fate. Japanese are Chinese, genetically speaking.

Self defense and peace constitution are two separate things. It is not required to change the constitution at all to be strong. But Abe must assure our neighbors that Japan is self defensive only nation, no threats to neighbors. That is the true vision. When time comes, Northeast Asia will be unified. That is the goal.

In his Diet address, the prime minister said, "We will be creating our nation, looking ahead 50 years or 100 years. It is the Constitution that narrates the shape and ideal form" of the country.

So what he's saying is that Japan no longer wants to be peaceful

Constitution. Article 9 only discussion. Article 17 a majority will agree and discuss financial effort after article 17 is revised.