Abe Shows New Determination forStronger Military, DeregulationBy Isabel Reynolds and Takashi Hirokawa May 28, 2014 11:21 PM CT 15 Comments Email

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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed

fresh determination to loosen constraints on his

nation’s military and reduce economic regulation

as he approaches the 18-month mark of his

administration.

Abe cited China

(http://topics.bloomberg.com/china/)’s

ballooning defense spending

(http://topics.bloomberg.com/defense-

spending/) and “extremely dangerous” actions in

the East China Sea to justify plans for a more

active role for Japan’s Self-Defense Forces in

remarks to the Diet yesterday. He followed with

a pledge to business leaders to adopt a flexible

and merit-based employment system, saying

revamping labor rules was crucial to his growth

strategy.

Abe plans to make his case for Japan broadening the scope of its military at a gathering of Asian, U.S.

and European defense officials in Singapore (http://topics.bloomberg.com/singapore/) starting

tomorrow.

“I want to tell the world about Japan’s plans for proactive contributions to peace based on international

cooperation,” he said in parliament today. “Tensions are now rising in Southeast Asia

(http://topics.bloomberg.com/southeast-asia/). I want to show Japan’s basic thinking, which is about

cooperating with Southeast Asia in the protection of international norms, not allowing a change in the

status quo by force and respecting the rule of law.”

(/photo/japan-nda-/-ibDePqrmPao0.html)

Photographer: Yuriko Nakao/Bloomberg

National Defense Academy of Japan (NDA) cadets march to

class at the NDA campus in... Read More

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The premier is seeking to break down restrictions on Japan’s ability to use military force and work with

allies under its U.S.-imposed postwar pacifist constitution, amid a simmering territorial dispute with China.

The plan has sparked criticism from China and South Korea (http://topics.bloomberg.com/south-

korea/) and a poll this week showed a majority of the Japanese oppose parts of the effort.

Fighter Jets

Abe said close encounters between Chinese fighter jets and Japanese surveillance planes on May 24 near

islands claimed by both countries could have led to unforeseen consequences. He referred to China’s

rapidly growing military budget and “opaque” security strategy, as well as its “attempts to change the

status quo” in the South China Sea (http://topics.bloomberg.com/south-china-sea/) in response to

questions in parliament.

Abe received a report from an advisory panel of academics earlier this month advocating that military

restrictions enshrined by the constitution be loosened. His Liberal Democratic Party

(http://topics.bloomberg.com/liberal-democratic-party/) must gain support for the plan from its

smaller coalition ally, New Komeito, which is backed by a pacifist Buddhist group. The second round of

consultations between the parties on 16 scenarios that would allow military engagement ended yesterday

without significant progress

The government campaign to allow so-called collective self defense comes as Abe prepares to lay out

more details of his plan to spur economic growth after unprecedented monetary and fiscal stimulus that

helped curb deflation and fuel stock market gains in his first year in office.

Labor Shortages

Abe said that working conditions must become more flexible in a country that faces labor shortages due to

a shrinking population. The government would conduct a “bold review” of flex-time working to help those

raising children and caring for the elderly remain in the work force, he said.

“With a limited number of workers, the success of the growth strategy depends on whether we can draw

out the drive and talent of the Japanese people to work productively,” he said in remarks to his advisory

panel on industrial competitiveness yesterday.

Abe is also seeking more flexibility in defense policy and is trying to convince his allies to support his

effort for a broader interpretation of the constitution at time when public support for the change is

flagging.

A survey carried out by the Nikkei newspaper between May 23-25 found 51 percent of respondents were

opposed to changing the interpretation of the pacifist Article 9 of the constitution to allow Japan

(http://topics.bloomberg.com/japan/) to defend allies. About 28 percent of the 1,032 respondents said

they backed the idea.

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“Article 9 is the heart of the constitution,” Komeito party deputy secretary general Tetsuo Saito told

Bloomberg in an interview on May 26. “To change that should take more than a reinterpretation. We

should go through the full procedures for revising the constitution.”

Almost 70 percent of respondents to the Nikkei poll backed legal measures to strengthen Japanese troops’

ability to deal with what the government calls “gray zone” situations. These include armed groups, possibly

disguised as fishermen, taking over a remote island.

The debate takes place as Chinese and Japanese coastguard ships regularly tail one another around

uninhabited East China Sea (http://topics.bloomberg.com/east-china-sea/) islands claimed by both

countries. In the South China Sea, Vietnam (http://topics.bloomberg.com/vietnam/) said a

Vietnamese fishing boat sank after being rammed by a Chinese boat amid a standoff over an oil rig

installed by China near disputed islands. China blamed the Vietnamese vessel for the sinking.

To illustrate the constraints under which Japan’s defense forces operate, the government this week

presented the ruling coalition with a list of 16 scenarios where its military would currently be barred from

responding. Here is that list:

1. deal with an armed group landing on a remote island; 2. deal with a Japan SDF vessel encountering

illegal behavior on the high seas; 3. protect a U.S. naval vessel that is on guard against a ballistic missile

launch; 4. deal with a foreign submarine entering Japanese waters without surfacing; 5. provide logistical

support for UN action against an incursion; 6. protect other countries’ peace keepers or Japanese

NGO workers; 7. use force on a peacekeeping mission; 8. rescue Japanese from another country; 9.

protect a U.S. ship carrying Japanese citizens; 10. protect a U.S. ship under attack near Japan; 11.

forcibly stop and inspect a ship; 12. intercept a missile flying over Japan toward the U.S.; 13. protect a

U.S. naval vessel on guard against a ballistic missile launch while the U.S. is at war; 14. provide back-

up for a counterattack near Japan after the mainland U.S. has been attacked; 15. take part in

international mine sweeping operations; 16. take part in an international operation to protect commercial

shipping.

To contact the reporters on this story: Isabel Reynolds in Tokyo at ireynolds1@bloomberg.net

(mailto:ireynolds1@bloomberg.net); Takashi Hirokawa in Tokyo at thirokawa@bloomberg.net

(mailto:thirokawa@bloomberg.net)

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Rosalind Mathieson at rmathieson3@bloomberg.net

(mailto:rmathieson3@bloomberg.net) Andrew Davis (http://topics.bloomberg.com/andrew-

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• Reply •

Bill • 13 hours ago

see more

How can we turst this liar Abe. It is totally Abe and his ally fault going to ultranationalist

direction making anger of neighbouring countries. In fact, Abe’s objective is to bring back

the lost glory of the evil imperial Japan army and see what he did:

1. Deny Tokyo Trial

2. Deny comfort women

3. Deny WWII war crimes

4. Changing constitution for imperail army return and bring back evil emperor to be head of

States.

5. Openly admitted himself an extreme right member in front of UN.

6. Increase military spending even under US protection.

7. Worshipped the ghostly WWII war criminals Shrine as an great insult to all WWII

victims. There is no hero there.

8. Keeping the stolen islands that is not belong to Japan.

9. Changing school text and put incorrect history to school children.

10. Still not repent from WWII compare with Germany which is much much better than

Japan.

11. Hiding the nuclear weapon materials which violates the constitution. Now return to US

becasue under US pressure.

• Reply •

Springfire • 17 hours ago

What is Abe's problem? Japanese fighter jets flew less than 10 meters away from a

Chinese surveillance plane on Nove. 23, 2013. The history that Japan using its advanced

aircraft to harass Chinese aircrafts is over.

2

• Reply •

hypersonicmissiles • 21 hours ago

Good, this gives China a great reason to increase military spending to 6% of GDP.

1

kaorihashimoto • a day ago

Japan already has laws in place which a prime minister can use to deal with the "gray

zone" situations which Abe

has outlined and in many cases the Japanese police are better trained than the SDF is to

deal with some of these

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• Reply •

deal with some of these

"gray zone" situations. It appears the American government has requested these very

specific (unneeded) laws be

enacted which are sure to be challenged in the courts as being unconstitutional.

1

• Reply •

hedgie • a day ago

Asian nations are hedging their bets against a US with no commitments to Asia. Stupid to

walk off from their substantive influence in Asia and hand it to the crude power grabs of

China.

Japan and others in Asia have the moral grounds at this time of history to build defenses

against China.

• Reply •

Springfire • 17 hours ago hedgie

Moral grounds? Lol ... China has not invaded Japan once in the past. Japan has

invaded China many times, using dubious excuses.

1

• Reply •

louiseobrien2010 • a day ago

All of America's Asian allies realise that it is a bankrupt lame duck and it will no longer be

relevant in Asia in the near future. Japan is simply preparing for that time.

The Asian region has moved away from using the US dollar for trade and now uses the

Yuan which is now the most relevant currency.

1

• Reply •

Benmar Chua • a day ago

China will probably surrender once the gundams come out.

• Reply •

Springfire • 17 hours ago Benmar Chua

Really? Chinese had fought US+UN in Korea War. Did China lose the war? That

was before Chinese troops had any air cover, with old weapons captured from

Japan or nationalists.

1

• Reply •

Walter Woo • 13 hours ago Springfire

You forgot to mention that the Chinese military Advisers fought along with

the Vietnamese together drove the Americans out to the Sea.

Siloo Kapadia • a day ago

Good for him! I wish them well. I only hope that our India, which up until now has been a

testicle-less government especially when it comes to China, will take the same stance

and show a little backbone from time-to-time.

China is a bully and is pouring money into their military. They have all but claimed ALL of

South East Asia, chunks of South Asia, and plan to dominate East Asia as well. That is for

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• Reply •

South East Asia, chunks of South Asia, and plan to dominate East Asia as well. That is for

a start. They have also hinted at claiming Hawaii and other parts of the Pacific. All this

while they continue to commit cultural genocide in the occupied territories of Singkiang,

Inner Mongolia, and Tibet.

Time for the world to wake up and see the threat that is growing. In fact, the rise of China

is very similar to the rise of Nazi Germany. Time for the world to unite and act now or

suffer later.

• Reply •

Walter Woo • 13 hours ago Siloo Kapadia

Could it be the Chinese authority stopped the East Indian trading Co. selling opium

in China that now you have a surplus of opium to poison yourself and drove you

insane to think China claiming Hawaii? I could see you are bitter of your colonial

master didn't give Tibet to you when they suddenly withdrew from Tibet in WWII,

now you wanted to claim Tibet for yourself. Keep dreaming.

• Reply •

Springfire • a day ago Siloo Kapadia

Still bitter after losing China-India War? Let me tell you, Japanese is playing with

fire and next time they get burned, there will be no Japan in the world.

1

• Reply •

adammellor747 • a day ago Springfire

Still trolling trying to control public opinion with your Beijing propaganda

posts? All you do is reinforce the worldwide negative feeling and lack of

trust towards your beloved motherland China.

• Reply •

Springfire • 17 hours ago adammellor747

Nobody cares your feeling or lack of trust, whatsoever. Chinese

don't care. Sorry to let you know the truth.

1

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