JAPANESE WAR POWERS BILL PASSES LOWER HOUSE.

An article in the Straits Times discusses briefly the legislation that is expected to become law next week. Here are the critical paragraphs of the article:

But the bills spell out for the first time the circumstances under which the government can mobilise Japan's armed forces and the powers the military would have in an emergency to requisition land and other property including private vehicles, fuel and food.

They also outline the responsibilities of central government and its power to order local governments in wartime, and expand the size and scope of the Security Council headed by the prime minister in national emergencies.

The Daily Yomuiri has a sunny piece on the partisan cooperation that produced the bills, and a more informative piece that puts the bills in a larger context and also praises the main opposition party for its support. A third article details some criticisms of the bills on human rights grounds. The Japan Times also has a roundup on the passage of the bill.

In the Asia Times, Alex Berkovsky has a critical piece warning of resurgent Japanese militarism.