2015 Japanese military legislation
In 2015, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party promoted legislation, passed on 19 September 2015, despite some public opposition, to allow the country's military to participate in foreign conflicts, overturning its previous policy of fighting only in self-defense. Since the Japanese constitution allows the Japanese military to act only in self-defense, the legislation reinterpreted the relevant passages to allow the military to operate overseas for "collective self-defense" for allies. The legislation came into effect on 29 March 2016.
Demonstrators and police buses outside the Japanese National Diet on 18 September 2015 during a debate in the House of Councillors shortly before the Japanese military legislation was passed in the early hours of 19 September.
Demonstrators and police buses outside Japan's National Diet on Friday 18 September 2015 during the debate in the House of Councillors shortly before the legislation was passed in the early hours of 19 September. A Zengakuren banner is visible in the middle of the image.
Shinzo Abe was a Japanese politician and statesman who served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020. He was the longest-serving prime minister in Japanese history, serving for almost nine years in total. Abe also served as Chief Cabinet Secretary from 2005 to 2006 under Junichiro Koizumi and was briefly the opposition leader in 2012.
Official portrait, 2012
The Abe family in 1956 (left to right): his mother Yōko, Shinzo at the age of two, his father Shintaro and his elder brother Hironobu
Shinzo (center) with his family and grandfather Nobusuke Kishi (4th left), who influenced Abe's beliefs
Abe (pictured in 2002) was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1993.
