Japanese Re-Militarization
Japan has begun to remilitarise itself in ways never seen since the end of World War Two. In 2014, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government passed bills that reinterpreted parts of the Constitution’s Article 9 – with the amendment, Japan’s military would now be allowed to fight overseas in defence of its allies.
Legitimising the nation’s Self-Defence Forces remains Mr Abe’s long-term goal – over fears of China’s assertiveness, an unpredictable nuclear-armed North Korea, and United States President Donald Trump’s wavering security commitment to Japan.
But this is raising serious reservations among older Japanese who experienced WW2. Tadamasa Iwai, 99, who was trained as a suicide diver, does not wish history to repeat itself. “At this time the Constitution states that we cannot, are not allowed to go to war. The only reason they would want to change that is because they want to go to war,” he said.
Credit to : CNA Insider