Japanese PM urges SDF to undertake new tasks at home, abroad following controversial security legislation

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told Self-Defense Forces (SDF) personnel Sunday at a parade review held near Tokyo to earnestly take their "responsibilities and missions" at home and abroad.

The instruction came after controversial security legislation was enacted in March, expanding the role of the SDF despite the inherent contradictions to Japan's own pacifist Constitution.

The Japanese prime minister told some 4,000 SDF personnel in attendance that under the new security laws, they should expect to undertake the new tasks in their upcoming roles.

Japan's security shift, in contravention of its own pacifist constitution, has put the nation under the international spotlight as the changes were made by way of an Abe-led unilateral cabinet decision and forced through parliament into law based on his party's ruling majority and against the public will.

Under the new legislation, Japan is now, in a limited manner, permitted to exercise the right to collective self-defense or can come to the aid of the United States and other friendly nations under armed attack, even if Japan itself is not attacked.

The ambiguous wording of the law has led to increased suspicion and vexation at Abe's loosely-veiled plans to remilitarize the country.

On Sunday, around 280 military vehicles took part in the parade review, including tanks and other armored transportation vehicles, and 50 aircraft were involved. The parade review also saw a flyover by U.S. military Osprey transportation aircraft. Endit