Japan aggravates uncertainties

Japan's postwar military and security policies entered a new era as its controversial new national security laws, which lift the constitutional constraints on collective self-defense, formally took effect on Tuesday.

From the perspectives of legal principles and legislative procedures, these new laws are in essence "illegal laws", given that they are in contradiction of the country's pacifist Constitution. These laws concocted and passed with the sponsorship of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will ruin Japan's image as a peaceful nation ruled by law.

The new laws allow Japan to defend other nations with which it has close relations under the so-called right to collective self-defense even if Japan itself is not under attack.