CURRENTLY MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT IN JAPAN ARE DEBATING
LEGISLATION THAT WOULD MAKE THE MILITARY IN THE COUNTRY A
LOT MORE ACTIVE AND INVOLVED IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS.
THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN BEING
CONCERNED ABOUT THE MILITARY BEING A BUNCH OF PACIFIST.
HE DOESN'T LIKE IT.
HE THINKS THAT THEY SHOULD GET MORE INVOLVED IN WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS.
THERE IS A LOT OF DISAGREEMENT IN JAPAN ABOUT THIS,
PARTICULARLY IN PARLIAMENT.
DURING A RECENT DEBATE ABOUT IT, THINGS GOT A LITTLE VIOLENT.
TAKE A LOOK.
>> AND THAT MY FRIENDS IS WHAT CNN WAS HOPING FOR DURING
THE REPUBLICAN DEBATE LAST NIGHT.
FORTUNATELY IT DID NOT BREAK OUT IN VIOLENCE.
"OPPOSITION POLITICIANS TRIED TO PREVENT VOTING BY PILING ON TOP
OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN AND WRESTLING AWAY HIS MICROPHONE.
LAWMAKERS FROM THE GOVERNING PARTY PULLED THEM AWAY AND
FORMED A PROTECTIVE SCRUM AROUND THE CHAIRMAN TO ALLOW HIM
TO CALL THE VOTE."
THOSE WHO ARE AGAINST THIS LEGISLATION ARE LIKE OH NO,
WE WANT THE MILITARY TO BE AS PACIFIST AS POSSIBLE AND AS
A RESULT WE ARE GOING TO FIGHT.
>> IT SEEMS A BIT IRONIC.
LET'S NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT SCRUM IS AN UNFORTUNATE WORD.
>> FOR SOME REASON IT MAKES ME THINK OF SCROTUM.
>> IT IS A VERY UNFORTUNATE COMBINATION.
I PLAYED RUGBY, SO I WAS IN A LOT OF SCRUMS.
LOOK, WHEN IT IS NOT YOUR GOVERNMENT IT LOOKS KIND OF FUN.
COULD YOU IMAGINE BERNIE SANDERS AND HILLARY CLINTON DOING THAT?
THAT SOUNDS ABSURD ON THE
DEMOCRATIC SIDE.
ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, NOT QUITE AS ABSURD.
DON'T FIGHT, IT'S A BAD IDEA.
JAPAN, YOU ARE ONE OF THE STRONGEST DEMOCRACIES IN
THE WORLD.
LET'S BRING IT BACK DOWN.
>>BUT I RESPECT THOSE IN THE OPPOSITION BECAUSE IT IS A
DISASTROUS IDEA.
THINK ABOUT IT, OUR COUNTRY IS NOT GETTING INVOLVED IN
ENOUGH UNNECESSARY WARS, LET'S CHANGE THAT.
COME ON, REALLY?
I HAD TO READ INTO THIS A BIT FURTHER TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
THE INTENTIONS OF THE PRIME MINISTER ARE.
SO FAR I FEEL LIKE JAPAN HAS IT GOOD.
I WOULD MUCH RATHER NOT GET INVOLVED IN THESE
RIDICULOUS WARS THEN TO DO SO.
"THE COMMITTEE EVENTUALLY PASSED THE BILLS, SENDING THEM TO
THE FULL UPPER HOUSE FOR WHAT IS LIKELY TO BE A FINAL
DECISIVE VOTE.
IT PASSED BY THE FULL HOUSE, THE LEGISLATION WOULD ALLOW THE
JAPANESE MILITARY, KNOWN AS THE SELF-DEFENSE FORCES, TO
COOPERATE MORE CLOSELY WITH THE MILITARIES OF ALLIES LIKE
THE UNITED STATES, BY PROVIDING LOGISTICAL SUPPORT AND IN
CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES ARMED BACKUP IN INTERNATIONAL
CONFLICTS."
I DID READ INTO THIS, BUT I FORGOT TO MENTION THIS,
JAPAN RIGHT NOW IS WORRIED ABOUT CHINA AND THEIR GROWING
MILITARY POWER.
RIGHT NOW THEY WANT TO WORK WITH ALLIES IN THIS WAY JUST IN
CASE THEY MIGHT NEED THE ALLIES IN THE FUTURE, SHOULD
ANYTHING HAPPEN BETWEEN THEM AND CHINA.
>> LET'S KEEP IT REAL, I GET IT.
I KNOW THE MOTIVATION BEHIND IT.
ONE PART OF IT IS NORTH KOREA'S CRAZY AND THEIR NUKES MIGHT
BE ABLE TO REACH JAPAN.
IF YOU ARE JAPAN, HOW FURIOUS WOULD YOU BE?
BUT THAT HAS BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME.
MAINLY IT IS THE GROWING POWER OF CHINA THEY WANT TO WORK
AGAINST HERE.
THEY HAVE ALREADY HAD SOME SCUFFLES IN THE ISLANDS.
BUT YOU ALREADY HAVE A HUGE DEFICIT IN JAPAN.
NOW, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?
GET INVOLVED IN OTHER WARS AND SPEND MONEY ON THAT?
LOOK, AMERICA IS NOT GOING TO LET CHINA TAKE JAPAN.
WHAT THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT IS THAT AMERICA IS NOT GOING
TO COME TO THEIR AID IF CHINA GRABS A COUPLE OF ISLANDS.
ARMING UP AND SPENDING ALL THE MONEY TO ARM UP, ESPECIALLY
DURING THE DEFICIT SOUNDS LIKE A SUPER BAD IDEA TO ME.
IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE LIBERALS FIGHTING BACK.
IN THE END, NOT THE RIGHT WAY TO APPROACH IT.
YOU DON'T WANT TO WRESTLE ANYBODY.
EASY FOR ME TO SAY SITTING OVER HERE.