Politicians must debate maturely

Politics is the process of consensus building. It involves bringing people of various opinions and backgrounds together.

Unfortunately, debates on defense bills during the current Diet session shows that some members of both the ruling and opposition parties in Japan may not be up to the job.

Not a few constituents must have felt shame as they watched lawmakers howl in rage during recent Diet sessions. It is disgraceful that politicians could not bring themselves to discuss issues calmly and strive for a middle ground.

The defense bill debates over the past few months have split public opinion. It is too early to tell whether the rift in public opinion will have a lasting effect.

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