In 1947, the United States rewrote the Japanese constitution, restructuring the government to be more of a democracy and including article 9, which prohibited the creation of a military and the involvement of Japan in any military conflict, forbidding the use of war as a way to settle international disputes. At the time, it seemed like a sensible move to demilitarize a country which had problems with over militarization in the past. However, one questions the sovereignty of a country which is limited by a foreign written constitution which is not allowed to maintain its own military. This created a dependency on the US for protection during the cold war.
In 1954, Japan created its self defense force which existed as an extension of the police force and did not constitutionally violate article 9. This technicality meant that the SDF exists as a semi military body but cannot engage in military actions. In 2015, these stipulations were changed somewhat with the passing of laws by the Japanese Diet whom held that the SDF could take a more active role in the defense of itself and its allies. If there is no other recourse the laws provide a legal allowance for Japanese SDF troops to engage in gunfire to defend themselves as well as their allies. The laws also allow Japanese troops to share provisions and even ammunition with allies which had previously been a controversy.
With the reinterpretation of the article 9 in 2015, the SDF became a force which could be used as more of a military than it was previously. This makes involvement in peacekeeping missions much easier considering that an SDF soldier will not be in violation of the law if he or she kills someone to protect themselves. This reinterpretation continued in 2017, when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced that there would be a revising of article 9 to constitutionally recognize the SDF as the legal military of Japan. This announcement met with controversy when people explained that the constitution has allowed for a peaceful japan to emerge and be a positive force in the world.
The rest of the article would be allowed to remain but this calls to question why keep it at all? Legally, the SDF forces are allowed to engage in combat. It has been 70 years since the end of World War II and the nation of Japan has changed dramatically, with a high percentage of its citizens subscribing to pacifism. Japan has modernized and learned its lesson. It can be a valuable ally in the Pacific, if it is allowed to maintain a legitimate military which is the right of every sovereign nation. In a time when China lays claim to Japanese held territories and North Korea has extensive military capabilities, it would be in Japan’s interest to legitimize its already strong and capable military forces. People change and though much of japan had become pacifist, the rest of the world is not so nice. Japan should be ready to protect itself.
Politics of Asia 