PM Shinzo Abe said the new law is needed to prevent terrorism
Japan’s ruling coalition pushed a contentious bill through parliament Thursday that makes it a crime to plan a crime.
The government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the new law, which criminalizes the planning of 277 serious crimes, is needed to prevent terrorism, especially with the Olympics coming to Tokyo in 2020.
Opponents warned that authorities could use the legislation to limit free speech and public protests.
Abe told reporters after the vote that the government wants to use the law in a proper and effective way to protect people’s lives and property.
A sizeable crowd protested outside parliament as upper house lawmakers hotly debated the bill Wednesday. Opposition parties used delaying tactics, with the jockeying continuing into the early morning hours.
