What is it about?
This article argues that Japan's pacifist identity is dead. Despite still having Article 9 in its constitution, Japan can now do more or less everything that other, more ‘normal’ countries do in the security field. More importantly, Japan has undergone an identity shift which forebodes even more radical changes in its security stance.
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Why is it important?
"Pacifism" no longer means that Japan limits its own military power, but that it has to defend peace as other countries do. Because of this, if Japan deems its neighbors to be "unpeaceful", it may serve as an excuse for Japan to toughen its military posture and perhaps even preemptive moves.
Perspectives
This article settles the scores with the whole debate about continuity and change in Japanese security policy. It argues that the proponents of continuity wrong while adherents of the change thesis just do not understand the full extent of the changes occurring in Japanese security policy. The article should also be of interest to policymakers who want to know where Japanese security policy is heading.
Professor Linus Hagström
Swedish Defence University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Japan's Pacifism Is Dead, Survival, November 2018, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.1080/00396338.2018.1542803.
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