Tokyo is revising its platform of military non-intervention

TOKYO – Citing threats from China and North Korea, a government-appointed commission is urging Japan to rethink its pacifist constitution to allow the use of military force to defend other countries.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

The recommendation, presented to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday, sets the stage for his efforts to allow the armed forces to play a greater role in international security. Japan currently maintains armed forces only for its own defense and has previously interpreted Article 9 of its post-war constitution on the renunciation of war as limiting its participation in what is known as collective self-defense.

If approved, the changes could allow Japan to come to the defense of the United States or other countries, even if Japan itself is not under threat of attack. Japan has gradually relaxed the restrictions of Article 9 over many years to allow foreign deployment of troops in limited cases, but never to use its weapons to fight for others.

"Collective self-defense seems to go even further than all the other reinterpretations that Article 9 has received so far, so this would be a huge step," said Chris Winkler, a constitutional expert at the German Institute for Japanese Studies in Tokyo.

The proposal faces some skepticism within Abe's ruling coalition, and he will have to reach a consensus to win cabinet approval. Polls show that public opinion is mixed. Opponents say that this will undermine the clause of the constitution on military renunciation.

"At present, the bottom line is whether Japan is under attack from the outside," said Kyuji Yanagisawa, a security expert under former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizuma. "Then what is the brake on the abuse of the right to self-defense when Japan is not under direct attack?"

The message said that the worsening regional security environment, namely threats from China and North Korea, makes Japan's ban on collective self-defense inappropriate. Josyuk Izozeky, Abe's national security adviser, said that the change is necessary because of the growing tensions in East Asia and pressure on American military spending.

"Japan will become a country that can make more international contributions, deepening its relations with the United States and expanding our ties with countries other than America," he said. The United States supports Abe's effort to increase its military role, as Japan wants to carry a heavier burden of self-defense.

In Beijing, the Chinese official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Hua Chunying, criticized the Abe administration to draw attention to "negative actions" that express concern about Japan's true motives. "We urge Japan to consider the legitimate and reasonable security interests of countries in the region, adhere to the path of peaceful development, sincerely face and reflect on history, and play a constructive role in regional peace and stability," Hua said at a daily news briefing on Thursday.

The report recommended allowing collective self-defense or making other legal changes so that Japan could fight back in support of America when American warships are attacked while over or near Japan, shoot down a missile headed for the United States, or participate in mine clearance on remote sea ​​lanes followed by commercial Japanese vessels.

Experts say that many scenarios are unlikely because they assume the sudden onset of a full-scale war, but collective self-defense could come into play in UN peacekeeping operations. "It is likely that we will end up dealing with this situation and end up using force for our friends," said Narushige Michishita, a military expert at the National Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo. "In this sense, this is an important step forward, but we are not talking about fighting a big war."

In an effort to win over doubters, officials in Abe's government have floated proposals in recent weeks that would limit the number of times Japan exercises collective self-defense.

As reported Source