Recently, I had dinner with an old friend visiting Washington from Japan.
In the course of our conversation, we got to the subject of Japan’s security legislation. We both knew that we stood on the opposite side of the debate — he was against the bill and I was for it.
What he said in that conversation, though, got my attention. “I have been reading what you are writing about the bills,” he said. “Having read your commentary, I do see why this legislation may be necessary and important for Japan. But I have not heard any of the politicians discuss it in that way. I am opposed to the bills as long as those Diet members cannot better explain the rationale for them.”
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