THE Shinzo Abe administration has put a new interpretation on Article 9 of Japan’s post-World War II Constitution. It marks a significant change in the country’s defence policy. The decision awaits clearance be parliament. According to the shift, Japan will no longer be restricted to the use of force only in self-defence. Abe has decided not to revise the Constitution and thus avoided a referendum. Japan is committed to pacifism and this has caused protests in Tokyo against the move. The new term ‘collective self-defence’ allows Japan to assist its allies against a common enemy provided its own security is threatened. That may mean military support for the US under attack and can enable the country to deploy forces to protect energy supplies and the sea lines communication. The main threat is to China which has territorial disputes with Japan and South Korea which was a victim of Japanese aggression during the last war. They are opposing the move. Beijing calls it remilitarization affecting peace. The reason Abe has gone for the shift is no doubt China’s hawkish stand on South China Sea. The US has welcomed the move. Australia and the Philippines also support it despite the fact that they were victims of Japanese imperialism.
Abe has clarified that Japan will not take part in multilateral wars. But the shift allows Japan to have close ties with any country. Even a pacifist Japan has a 250000 strong well-armed military. Unlike Germany, it refused to apologize for its war crimes. Japanese military intentions have always been secretive as the US is well aware after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbour in 1941.
