China Voice: Passage of new security bills is a dark stain forJapan

BEIJING, July 16 (Xinhua) -- A nightmare scenario has come a step closer for Japanese people and neighboring nations, after the passage of security bills that will expand the role of Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF) at the lower house of the country's parliament on Thursday.

Though they still need to be debated at the upper house, the bills will very probably be enacted because the ruling bloc dominates both houses.

The reason the controversial bills have been generating domestic protests and concerns abroad, including inChinaand theRepublicofKorea, is that once adopted, the legislation will allow the SDF to engage in armed conflict overseas, even ifJapanis not under attack.

The lower house's approval on Thursday, which marks the most dramatic change in Japan's military orientation since the end of the WWII, will tarnish the reputation of a nation that has earned international respect for its pacifist Constitution over a period of nearly seven decades.

Japanese academics and members of the public are well aware of this. More than 20,000 people gathered in downtown Tokyo on Tuesday to voice opposition to the bills before Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling bloc rammed the bills through a committee of the lower house on Wednesday.

A poll by one of Japan's major newspapers showed about 56 percent of the Japanese population oppose the bills, while only 26 percent support them. Another Japanese newspaper survey revealed more than 90 percent of the academics of the constitution believe the bills are "unconstitutional".

Those who oppose the bills inJapanare worried that they or their offspring could be taken into wars launched by the government, as happened to their ancestors in WWII.

For countries that fell victim toJapan's aggression, the chills sent by the bills are even more acute.

TakeChina. During its defense against Japanese invasion,Chinasuffered 35 million military and civilian casualties, accounting for a third of all countries casualties during WWII.

AsChinaand other victims atJapan's hands are in the run-up to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, the Japanese government should not only reflect on the country's past aggression but also respect its neighbors' concerns over its current security policy.

Only by sending positive signals that it is on the path of peaceful development canJapanfind itself secure. Forcing through bills that threaten long-term stability is definitely not a step in that direction. Enditem

（倒译稿）

中国声音：通过新安保法案是日本历史污点

    新华社北京７月１６日电　日本国会众议院周四表决通过了旨在扩大日本自卫队军事活动的新安保法案。自此，广大日本人民和日本的邻国距离一场噩梦又近了一步。

    虽然这些法案还需经日本国会参议院审议，但表决通过几乎毫无悬念，因为日本执政联盟在众参两院都占有优势。

    备受争议的新安保法案一直遭到日本国内民众的抗议，也引发了中国和韩国等国家的担忧，因为一旦法案获得通过并成为法律，日本自卫队便可以在本国未遭受袭击的情形下介入海外武装冲突。

    众议院周四通过新安保法案的举动标志着二战结束以来日本军事定位出现最为重大的变化，这将玷污日本在７０年时间里因坚持和平宪法而赢得的国际声誉。

    日本学界和普通民众对这一后果有着清醒的认识。就在日本首相安倍晋三领导的执政联盟操控众议院一个委员会强行表决新安保法案的前一天，超过两万人聚集在东京市中心，表达对新安保法案的反对之声。

    日本国内一家主要报纸进行的调查显示，约５６％的日本民众反对通过新安保法案，仅有２６％的民众表示支持；另一家报纸的调查则指出，超过９０％的宪法学者认为这些法案“违宪”。

    日本国内反对新安保法案的民众担心他们以及他们的子孙后代可能被卷入由政府发动的战争，面临与二战中日本人一样的遭遇。

    对那些曾受日本侵略戕害的国家来说，新安保法案带来的寒意更加彻骨。

    中国就是其中之一。在抗击日本侵略的战争中，中国军民伤亡总数达３５００万，占二战各国伤亡人数总和的三分之一。

    目前，中国以及曾遭受日本侵略者铁蹄践踏的其他受害国正紧锣密鼓地筹办庆祝世界反法西斯战争胜利７０周年的各项活动。日本政府不仅应当深刻反省其侵略历史，也应尊重邻国对其当前安保政策的关切。

    只有不断向外界发出坚持走和平道路的积极信号，日本自身的安全才能得到保障。强行通过威胁长远稳定的法案，显然与这一方向背道而驰。（完）