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

（倒譯稿）

中國聲音：通過新安保法案是日本歷史污點

    新華社北京７月１６日電　日本國會眾議院周四表決通過了旨在擴大日本自衛隊軍事活動的新安保法案。自此，廣大日本人民和日本的鄰國距離一場噩夢又近了一步。

    雖然這些法案還需經日本國會參議院審議，但表決通過幾乎毫無懸念，因為日本執政聯盟在眾參兩院都佔有優勢。

    備受爭議的新安保法案一直遭到日本國內民眾的抗議，也引發了中國和韓國等國家的擔憂，因為一旦法案獲得通過並成為法律，日本自衛隊便可以在本國未遭受襲擊的情形下介入海外武裝衝突。

    眾議院周四通過新安保法案的舉動標誌着二戰結束以來日本軍事定位出現最為重大的變化，這將玷污日本在７０年時間裏因堅持和平憲法而贏得的國際聲譽。

    日本學界和普通民眾對這一後果有着清醒的認識。就在日本首相安倍晉三領導的執政聯盟操控眾議院一個委員會強行表決新安保法案的前一天，超過兩萬人聚集在東京市中心，表達對新安保法案的反對之聲。

    日本國內一家主要報紙進行的調查顯示，約５６％的日本民眾反對通過新安保法案，僅有２６％的民眾&&支持；另一家報紙的調查則指出，超過９０％的憲法學者認為這些法案“違憲”。

    日本國內反對新安保法案的民眾擔心他們以及他們的子孫後代可能被捲入由政府發動的戰爭，面臨與二戰中日本人一樣的遭遇。

    對那些曾受日本侵略戕害的國家來説，新安保法案帶來的寒意更加徹骨。

    中國就是其中之一。在抗擊日本侵略的戰爭中，中國軍民傷亡總數達３５００萬，佔二戰各國傷亡人數總和的三分之一。

    目前，中國以及曾遭受日本侵略者鐵蹄踐踏的其他受害國正緊鑼密鼓地籌辦慶祝世界反法西斯戰爭勝利７０周年的各項活動。日本政府不僅應當深刻反省其侵略歷史，也應尊重鄰國對其當前安保政策的關切。

    只有不斷向外界發出堅持走和平道路的積極信號，日本自身的安全才能得到保障。強行通過威脅長遠穩定的法案，顯然與這一方向背道而馳。（完）