MOST Japanese firms oppose Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s efforts to push through legislation next month that will expand the country’s military reach, saying the campaign does not have the support of the people and the economy should take priority, a Reuters survey shows.

    Abe has said he is determined the bills, which would end a ban on fighting to defend a friendly country under attack, be enacted in the current session of parliament which ends Sept. 27. But his signature defence legislation has been unpopular, sparking protest rallies and dragging down his approval ratings.

    The monthly Reuters Corporate Survey showed 62 percent of companies oppose enacting the bills this session, with many respondents writing there had not been enough debate to gain the understanding of the people.

    Asked what should be the government’s biggest priority, only 2 percent of companies said security and diplomacy. Sixty-three percent said ending deflation and promoting economic growth while a third chose curbing the country’s runaway debt.

    “Forcing the bills through the current parliamentary session could sow the seeds of trouble for the future, impeding the smooth enactment of economic measures, which are expected to come later,” a manager at an electronics firm wrote.

    The survey of 516 big and medium-sized firms was conducted Aug. 3-17 for Reuters by Nikkei Research, with 241 answering the question about the military bills. Companies respond on condition of anonymity.

    Seventy-four percent of firms in the survey said the economy was now expanding. But just over 80 percent said it was not well placed to withstand a new sales tax hike to 10 percent from 8 percent that is scheduled for April 2017 and believed new economic measures were needed.(SD-Agencies)