Lawmakers scuffle over security bills in Japan

AFP, TOKYO: Japanese lawmakers scuffled Thursday as they tried—and failed—to stop the security bill that could see the military fight abroad for the first time in decades.
Opposition lawmakers climbed on top of one another as they tried to grab the committee chairman’s microphone to prevent him calling a vote on the controversial bills.
In scenes uncommon for Japan’s normally sedate parliament, the suited committee members lashed out at each other, pushing and shoving in a huge scrum in the second melee of the day.
But the mad-dash tactics, which came after hours of tortuous debate, failed to stop them from being approved as members of the ruling coalition stood up to signify their votes in favour.
The bills, which could see Japanese troops fighting abroad for the first time since World War II, are now expected to go to the full upper house later Thursday or Friday, where they will likely be passed to become law.
Some 500 protesters braved wet weather to gather outside parliament in plastic raincoats waving their umbrellas and shouting “stop the bills” as the committee debate rumbled on inside.

Lawmakers scuffle over security bills in Japan

AFP, TOKYO: Japanese lawmakers scuffled Thursday as they triedand failedto stop the security bill that could see the military fight abroad for the first time in decades. Opposition lawmakers climbed on top of one another as they tried to grab the committee chairmans microphone to prevent him calling a vote on the controversial bills. In scenes uncommon for Japans normally sedate parliament, the suited committee members lashed out at each other, pushing and shoving in a huge scrum in the second melee of the day. But the mad-dash tactics, which came after hours of tortuous debate, failed to stop them from being approved as members of the ruling coalition stood up to signify their votes in favour. The bills, which could see Japanese troops fighting abroad for the first time since World War II, are now expected to go to the full upper house later Thursday or Friday, where they will likely be passed to become law. Some 500 protesters braved wet weather to gather outside parliament in plastic raincoats waving their umbrellas and shouting stop the bills as the committee debate rumbled on inside.