Posted on 06/29/2014 3:51:31 PM PDT by kingattax
A man set himself on fire in central Tokyo in protest at a proposed law which could allow Japan to deploy its military overseas.
The man was taken to hospital after being hosed down but his condition was not immediately known, officials said.
Japan's government could make the change to its pacifist constitution as early as next Tuesday.
The US-drafted constitution bans war and "the threat or use of force" to settle international disputes.
Witnesses said the middle-aged man, wearing a suit and tie, climbed onto a pedestrian bridge at Tokyo's Shinjuku station.
"He was sitting cross-legged and was just talking, so I thought it would end without incident," one eyewitness told Reuters. "Then all of a sudden his body was enveloped in fire."
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
It’s probably time to let Japan back in the sandbox.
I guess he showed them!
He burst into flames, and then fell about 40 feet onto the roadway after he was hit with the fire hose. I'll go way out on a limb here -- he's not in awfully good condition.
The police may be trying to figure out a way to do the honorable thing and rule this a drowning accident.
The people of Japan are good enough to build a strong defense and watch out for their security. With nations like Iran and North Korea building nukes, the Japanese should get ready to defend themselves in that way, too.
A man with principle.
I agree, it’s time. They’ve been obedient since Harry T. dropped the 2 biggins on ‘em.
Japan is one of the safest places on Earth, why the hell would they want to spend a dime on a deployable military???????We have their butts covered and the whole world knows it.............now that I think it over, with Obama in charge, they should probably be building up....sad.
??? I’ve been deployed with Japanese in the middle east and Africa.
He’s a little late - The Japanese SDF were deployed to Iraq in 2005
Yup!
Hmmm, location of a Krispy Kreme.
I wish leftist protestors here in the USA would protest in the same fashion. Speaking of fashion, the guy wore a suit and tie. If you're going out in a blaze of glory, do it neatly dressed.
Apprently since the post-WWII constitution, they’re not even ALLOWED to have a military. It called the “Japanese Self-Defense Forces”
Sukippi* is not allowed to set himself on fire to avoid deployment.
It is a military though. It’s like if you renamed the IRS the Department of Sunshine and Puppy Dogs.
What a stupid way to try to make a point.
Correct. They could/should change their constitution to allow a military.
I very highly doubt they’ll get the imperialist bug again.
“...I very highly doubt they’ll get the imperialist bug again...”
It may have been less “Imperialist” and more just plain insecurity. They’d kicked Russia’s ass - a Western power - in 1905, and were feeling their testosterone on the Big Boy Stage of world players.
Sort of like Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany - he was incredibly jealous of his cousins - The Duke of York of England and Czar Nicholas of Russia - and wanted to be as powerful as they were thought to be.
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