Abe Secures Committee Passage of Security Bills as Support Sags
Bloomberg
July 14, 2015
by Isabel Reynolds and Takashi Hirokawa
http://bloom.bg/1K6LHQK

[snip]

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s bills expanding the role of the military passed a parliamentary committee after weeks of debate that has eroded his support and could weaken control of the ruling coalition.

The Special Committee for Peace and Security approved the bills by standing vote Wednesday, with the chairman’s voice almost drowned out by protests from opposition lawmakers. The legislation will now be sent to the lower house where it’s all-but guaranteed to pass, thanks to the ruling coalition’s two-thirds majority.

The bills enshrine in law Abe’s 2014 reinterpretation of the pacifist constitution and would allow Japan to defend other countries as part of a strategy to balance a rising China. Media polls show the majority of voters are opposed to the changes and disapproval of the cabinet now surpasses approval. Thousands of people demonstrated against the bills outside parliament and across the country on Tuesday night and there are plans for more protests today.