Japan’s Cabinet Agrees to Allow Military to Help Defend Allies
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Japan’s cabinet passed a resolution expanding the role of the military to include the defense of allies, reinterpreting the pacifist constitution in place for nearly 70 years, Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said.
The government will now submit bills to parliament in the autumn for the changes to take effect. Thousands of opponents to the policy gathered outside Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s residence last night, some calling for his resignation and criticizing his Buddhist-backed junior coalition partner New Komeito for compromising.