Japan shedding its pacifist constraints

For Mr. Kishida, the leader of a dovish wing of the governing Liberal Democratic Party, such assertive national security language is a departure from his previous focus on taming the pandemic and reforming economic policy. "It's very astonishing to see the developments in Ukraine," said Ken Jimbo, a professor of international relations at Keio University in Tokyo. "And that might really impact how we look at our own defense posture." [...] In some ways, Mr. Kishida, a liberal-leaning member of a conservative party, may accomplish more to push Japan into its military future than did Mr. Abe, a right-wing ideologue who failed in his quest to revise the pacifist clause in Japan's Constitution.

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With Threats All Around, Japan Moves to Shed Its Pacifist Constraints (Published 2022)

Growing calls for more military spending after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine demonstrate Japan’s recognition that it must bolster its own deterrent power, not just rely on its U.S. alliance.

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