Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on January 1 that he would not let the country fall into war after the new security bill was introduced.

According to AFP, earlier in September, the Japanese Parliament passed the above security bill, paving the way for the Japanese military to fight abroad for the first time since World War II.

The bill has met with strong reactions from the people of this country, with tens of thousands of people taking to the streets to protest. In addition, the bill has also been strongly opposed by China and the two countries on the Korean peninsula.

Critics of the bill say it could see Japan's military drawn into conflicts around the world and bogged down there, as the US has been in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Helicopters and tanks of the Japan Self-Defense Forces participate in the exercise. Photo AFP

In his New Year's message, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reassured the people of his country: "Under the new bill, we will seek to prevent the possibility of war by preparing all necessary measures," Mr. Abe declared: "We have succeeded in building the foundation of a peaceful Japan for future generations."

Mr. Abe's statement was made just one day after China announced it was building a second aircraft carrier, with a displacement of 50,000 tons and capable of carrying domestically-made J-15 fighter jets and many other types of aircraft.

Over the past few years, China has rapidly increased its military power, making many countries in the region and the United States feel insecure.

Sino-Japanese relations have become strained due to a dispute over a group of islands that Japan calls Senkaku and China calls Diaoyu.

Last month, a Chinese coast guard ship armed with several guns entered what Japan considers its territorial waters near a group of disputed islands.

Despite efforts to improve bilateral relations, both China and Japan remain wary of each other, with China concerned about Mr Abe’s shift in Japan’s military policy while Japan is concerned about China’s aggressive behavior in the region.

According to VOV