Five former prime ministers harshly criticized current Prime Minister Shinzo Abe over his push for security bills that would greatly expand the role of the Self-Defense Forces overseas, according to their statements collected by a group of former journalists.
The group of about 50 former reporters for newspaper publishers and TV stations said it received written recommendations from five former prime ministers — Morihiro Hosokawa, Tsutomu Hata, Tomiichi Murayama, Yukio Hatoyama and Naoto Kan — after asking 12 former prime ministers in writing in July to give advice to Abe.
Abe's Cabinet in May approved the security bills that would allow Japan to exercise the right to collective self-defense, or coming to the aid of the United States or other friendly nations under armed attack even if Japan itself is not attacked.