In the News: Japan's Military Policy
Today the following article appeared in The Washington Post:
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Thursday in a nationally televised address that Japan should allow its military to come to the aid of allies under attack, a divisive step that has been banned since the aftermath of World War II and would require a reinterpretation of Japan’s pacifist constitution.
The reinterpretation still faces major legislative hurdles but marks a potentially drastic shift in the way Japan uses its military, known as the Self-Defense Forces. Abe said his government would seek to lift the ban on what is known as collective self-defense as a way to “strengthen deterrent force” in an increasingly volatile region. - Japan’s prime minister calls for major shift in use of military
Icarus Films release Japan's Peace Constitution explores the origins of Japan's Constitution in the ashes of war, and the significance of its famous peace clause, Article 9, and the debates surrounding it, in the 21st century.
Another Icarus film, Japan, The Emperor and the Army examines how Japan’s demilitarization in the months following the WWII continues to resonate today – in Japanese politics, national identity and cultural influence on the international stage.