Japan's upper house of Parliament on Friday passed two bills lauded by proponents as bolstering national confidence, one elevating the Defense Agency [official website] to its pre-World War II status as a full ministry, and the other mandating that Japanese classrooms "cultivate an attitude that respects tradition and culture, that loves the nation and home country." The education bill withstood a no-confidence vote brought by opposition leaders against the cabinet of new conservative Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe [official website; BBC profile], accused of planting officials as audience members at town hall meetings on the patriotism reforms. The Washington Post has more. The Japan Times has local coverage, in English.
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