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9 J. E. Asia & Int'l L. 253 (2016)
Japanese 'War Legislation': International and Domestic Threat Assessment

handle is hein.journals/jeasil9 and id is 253 raw text is: 

East Asian Observer 253


                      EAST ASIAN OBSERVER



            Japanese 'War Legislation': International
                  and Domestic Threat Assessment



                                Brendan Howe*


    The two Japanese security laws which came into force on March 29, 2016, have faced
    severe domestic and international criticism. They are seen as representing a dramatic
    policy change in violation of due process and international norms, and representing
    a threat to international peace and security. This paper finds that while the direct
    implications of the war legislation are neither threatening nor without precedent, what
    the legislative process says about the nature of governance under Abe is deeply troubling.
    The disdain shown by the Abe administration to due process and constitutional procedures
    is what threatens domestic and international governance stability.

    Keywords
    Japan,  Security Legislation, Threat, Legality, Governance,   Peace,  Article 9



1. Introduction


The Japanese  National  Diet passed two  contentious security laws in September  2015.
Entered  into force on March  29, 2016, these laws  have been  heralded  as marking  a
historic change  in Japan's pacifist postwar  defense  posture.' The legislation faced
stiff opposition and  fierce criticism in and  out of Japan. Indeed,  Liu  Tian of the


*  Professor and Associate Dean of Graduate School of International Studies, Ewha Womans University, Seoul 03760
   Korea. B.A./M.A.(Oxon), M.A.(U. Kent), Ph.D. (U. Dublin-Trinity). ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9603-2792.
   The author may be contacted at: bmg.howe@gmail.com / Address: 1102 International Education Building, Ewha
   Womans University, 52 Ewhayeodae-gil, Seodaemu-gu, Seoul 03760 Korea.
   DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14330/jeail.2016.9.1.10
   Ayako Mie, Security laws usher in new era for pacifist Japan JAPAN TnyEs, Mar. 29, 2016, available at http://www.
   japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/03/29/national/politics-diplomacy/japans-contentious-new-security-laws-take-effect-
   paving-way-collective-self-defense/#.Vv3NgCamqmS (last visited on May 16, 2016).


IX JEAIL 1 (2o16)

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