As the Japanese military gets more and more popular amongst citizens, the government has continued to push for more flexibility in regards to its military capabilities. Last time I wrote about how the Japanese military was gaining in popularity throughout the country as tensions rose in the South China sea. Now, the Japanese government is in discussions with the US government to come up with new defense rules that would give the Japanese more flexibility when it comes to using their military forces (called the Self-Defence Force), especially when it comes to helping US forces in the region. While this is controversial to many, the new rules would strengthen the US-Japanese alliance and make defenses in the region stronger and more stable.
The Japanese military was gutted after World War II due to Japan’s many war crimes throughout the conflict. The Self-Defence Force that arose after WW2 was severely limited in its scope and could only function when defending Japan or direct Japanese interests; it could never attack, only defend. Now, the South China sea and East China sea are becoming more and more tense with every passing week. There are a number of conflicting claims on islands and natural resources in the region between different countries and Japan is included. The various territorial claims are coming from Japan, China, Vietnam, South Korea, Taiwan, and other countries as they argue over exclusive claims to land, resources, and economic exclusivity zones. The kicker is that all of these countries have fully functioning and prepared militaries, except Japan.
The new rules being discussed would be a big change in the way that Japan’s Self-Defence Force is run and equipped. It not only would allow Japan to have a more fully fleshed-out and functioning military, but it would also allow the country to be more proactive about defending itself and its interests. The new rules are meant to shift the current policy from the US defending Japan to the US and Japan defending each other. It will also give Japan extra leverage when it comes to negotiating with countries who might not have taken it as seriously due to its lack of a full military. While this isn’t a full unshackling of Japan’s military potential, it’s definitely the first step towards Japan having an unfettered military with which to pursue it and the US’ mutual goals in the region.
If you’d like to read more, the link is here.
