Protests greet wider powers to Japan defence forces

Protests greeted the Japanese cabinet approval on Thursday to a legislative package which would give the Japan Self-Defence Forces (JSDF) greater powers, including removal of geographical restrictions on where the forces can operate.

The national security package, including a permanent bill on international peace assistance and the other comprising revisions to 10 existing laws, will remove geographical restrictions on where the JSDF can operate, Xinhua news agency reported.

Earlier in the day, over 500 people gathered outside the Japanese Prime Minister's Office (PM0) in Tokyo protesting the cabinetr approval to the bills. People held placards condemning that the move would undermine the country's pacifist constitution and drag Japan into war.

So far, the government has been required to enact a special law each time it wants to dispatch the SDF for overseas logistical support. After the enactment of the permanent bill, the SDF personnel could be dispatched overseas at any time when needed.

The other provision would allow Japan to exercise, on a limited scope, the right to collective self-defence, or coming to the aid of allies under armed attack even if Japan itself is not attacked.

The cabinet will present those bills to the Diet, Japan's bicameral parliament, on Friday.