TOKYO: China accused Japan of threatening regional peace on Saturday after Tokyo passed laws clearing Japanese troops to fight abroad for the first time since World War II, saying that its rival should learn “profound lessons from history”.

Japan’s ruling coalition, led by nationalist Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, pushed the laws through in the early hours of Saturday morning after days of tortuous debate that at times descended into physical scuffles in parliament.

For the first time in 70 years, the new laws will give the government the power to send the military into overseas conflicts to defend allies, even if Japan itself is not under attack.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2015

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