Abe allies stymie opposition moves to block security bills

Making last-ditch efforts to block the passage of radical security bills, Japan's opposition lawmakers filed a series of no-confidence and censure motions in the upper house against Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the chamber's President Masaaki Yamazaki starting on Thursday.

But seeing that the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Komeito party, hold the majority of the seats in the upper house, all of them were rejected.

The security bills, which would enable Japan to embark on military operations that have been unconstitutional in the 70 years since World War II ended - were first approved by an upper house special committee on Thursday.