Japan's parliament eventually approved the controversial security bills that will expand the role of the country's highly restricted military. As the outside world is still assessing the impact of the legislation on the regional landscape, the Kyodo News has articulated three scenarios in which Japan could be involved in a war. It seems that the security bills are not aimed at boosting regional peace and helping Japan avoid conflicts. Instead, the possibility of war has dominated the minds of Japanese politicians who voted them in.

Japan has injected new elements to the regional pattern with its security bills. It indicates its tendency to want to change the status quo. If China enacts a maritime security law and lowers the threshold of using force for the Chinese navy, and mainstream Chinese media theorizes how a war could break out with a country allied with the US and which has territorial disputes with China in the East China Sea, how will Japanese people feel?

Will the risk of a military clash between China and Japan increase due to the empowerment of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF)? Tokyo should be obliged to explain itself.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his followers should be clear that China has no reason to fear the Japanese SDF. As China continues to develop, the Chinese military will be able to gain the advantage over Japan if there is friction in the East China Sea.

Unprecedented protests accompanied the whole process as Abe pushed through these security bills. The reputation of the Abe government has been tarnished. Therefore, the Japanese government may not be that determined if it is to order its SDF to confront China.

The long-standing limits on overseas combat by Japan have been lifted. After WWII, Japan survived under US military occupation and clung to pacifism without getting involved in warfare for 70 years. Unfortunately, Abe and his administration feel aggrieved and want to show up their country's prestige through military means.

Abe finally got his security bills passed with mounting pressure. He uttered many harsh words against China and South Korea. He has done enough. He should contribute some real positive energy to the regional situation.

If a war involving Japan occurs in Northeast Asia, the roots of the disaster would lie on September 19. We hope such a tragedy never happens and hope the Abe government thinks the same. He should take action to prove that the security bills are for the sake of peace.