Japan’s role in the Asia-Pacific region has long been an enigma since its defeat in World War Two. However, recent developments in Japan’s security and defense policies suggest that the country is no longer stuck in a pacifist mold. Despite anti-militarist sentiments among the Japanese population, Japan has gradually shifted its stance towards a more active role in foreign and security affairs. As Japan’s strategic environment has grown more complex, the country’s leaders have become more mindful of new realities, such as North Korea’s increasing nuclear capabilities and China’s military buildup.
In 2015, there was a large anti-war protest following proposed legislation allowing the Japan Self-Defense Forces to take part in collective self-defense missions, even when Japan was not attacked. However, the release of three historic documents by the Japanese government in December 2022 has been met with much less controversy than expected. The documents – the National Security Strategy, the National Defense Strategy, and the Defense Build-up Program – represent a culmination of the gradual shift in thinking in Japanese security and foreign policy circles over the years.
These documents signal a shift away from reliance on US security guarantees as the first line of defense towards greater self-reliance, with Japan taking “primary responsibility” for its own security. This shift is in response to the rise of China and its growing military capabilities, which have caused concern in Tokyo. The Defense Build-up Program includes plans to acquire counterstrike missile capabilities, which would not have been possible without conflating the concepts of self-defense and pre-empting potential threats around Japan’s periphery.
The recent recalibration of Japan’s security and defense policy was enabled by changes in the constellation of domestic politics. The strong majority of the Liberal Democratic Party in the Lower House paved the way for greater influence in policy discussions leading up to the formulation of the new strategic documents. The rise of China also added a sharp new edge to old apprehensions, with the events in the Taiwan Strait in 2022 serving as a harsh reminder of the need for change in Japanese strategic thinking.
Overall, Japan’s recent shifts in security and defense policies reflect the country’s evolving strategic environment and the need for greater self-reliance. While anti-militarist sentiments among the Japanese population have always been pervasive since World War Two, the recent developments suggest that Japan is no longer stuck in the pacifist mold.
