[by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]¸ü¶àÌýÁ¦Çë·ÃÎÊ51VOA.COM [00:00.08]Recent anti-American protests in Japan [00:03.40]are a sign of growing disapproval of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's military policies. [00:10.92]Last weekend, more than 65,000 people demonstrated on the island of Okinawa. [00:19.12]Many Japanese are angry about U.S. military bases there. [00:25.72]The anger intensified after a former U.S. Marine was arrested [00:31.56]in connection with the death of a local woman in May. [00:35.68]On Sunday, about 7,000 Japanese demonstrated near the parliament building in Tokyo. [00:43.93]The demonstrators called for the removal or reduction of the U.S. military presence in Japan. [00:52.08]They also voiced opposition to Shinzo Abe's efforts [00:56.60]to expand the security alliance between the two countries. [01:01.40]And they oppose his plans to amend Japan's pacifist constitution [01:07.04]to increase the power of the military. [01:10.64]Jeff Kingston directs the Asian Studies program [01:14.60]at Temple University's Japan campus in Tokyo. [01:19.48]He said the mood of the public in Okinawa [01:22.80]has gone from "angry to extremely angry." [01:26.68]Kingston told VOA that many Japanese are afraid [01:31.72]the country will get involved somehow because of American orders. [01:37.16]Last year, Abe's supporters in parliament passed security legislation [01:42.80]that changed 10 existing laws. [01:46.20]The legislation gave the military more power to defend Japan's people and interests. [01:53.48]As a result, the military can defend allies like the United States. [02:00.28]Opponents argue that Abe's military policies will not make the country safer. [02:06.64]They argue that the measures violated Article 9 of the country's constitution. [02:13.12]Article 9 rejects the use of offensive force to launch a war or settle international disputes. [02:21.72]On Tuesday, Katsuya Okada, leader of the opposition "Democratic Party" [02:28.40]promised to fight attempts to change the constitution. [02:33.08]"This is something we just cannot accept," he said. [02:37.08]Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his supporters argue [02:41.04]that Japan needs a stronger and less restricted military. [02:46.76]He says the country must be ready to deal with aggression from China [02:51.44]and North Korea's nuclear activities. [02:55.00]Amending the constitution in Japan [02:57.68]requires agreement of two-thirds of both houses of the parliament. [03:03.00]Abe said that the future of the military [03:06.16]should be put to a national referendum. [03:09.72]Public opinion studies show that more than half of Japan's population [03:14.84]is opposed to both the recent security legislation [03:18.76]and to amending the country's constitution. [03:22.48]I'm Jonathan Evans.