The Japanese government led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is pushing Japan towards the brink of war with a series of provocative and extremely dangerous moves, said Kimura Tomoyoshi, head of the Northeast Asia Dynamics Research Association in Japan, on Friday.
A government bill to set up a "national intelligence council" entered deliberations on Friday at a plenary meeting of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament.
According to the bill, Takaichi would head the council, which would coordinate intelligence activities in areas including national security.
Japan's House of Representatives, the lower chamber, passed the bill on April 23.
Before the bill's passage at the lower chamber, protests were staged in Japan, with demonstrators opposing the government's use of "striking espionage" as a pretext to expand social surveillance, and calling for the protection of personal privacy and the fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution, including freedom of expression.
There have been commentaries saying that the national intelligence council is aimed at promoting Japanese right-wing forces' "remilitarization" attempt.
"Military strength alone cannot make it for the attempt of changing Japan into a country that can launch wars. It needs a domestic security system as part of the social system to support the military strength for wars. In the past when Japan staged aggression against China, it used the term 'general mobilization system.' So besides enhancing military strength, such a war attempt also needs the support of a network-like social mechanism. I can feel that Japan is heading for the path to war and to becoming a country that can wage wars. That is extremely dangerous," said Kimura Tomoyoshi.
The legislation is expected to be enacted after passing the House of Councillors, where approval is highly likely. Following its enactment, the Takaichi administration aims to launch the council by summer, according to Kyodo News.
Japan sent its largest-ever contingent to the annual joint military drills conducted by the Philippines and the United States in April. It was the first time the Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF) fully participated in the exercises.
The SDF fired Type 88 missiles in the exercises, the first time Japan launched offensive missiles overseas after World War II.
"No matter how you look at it, this is an extremely dangerous and provocative act. That is to say, the Self-Defense Forces has actually taken the step of 'waging a war,' because so-called military exercises are rehearsals for war. And it was the first time for Japan to go overseas (to launch offensive missiles). So I think this also marks a major turning point in post-war history," said the expert.
Japanese government's provocative acts pushing country to brink of war: expert
Japanese government's provocative acts pushing country to brink of war: expert
