Japan's Defensive Policy Shifting: News Analysis

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, December 18, 2002

Japan's Defensive Policy Shifting: News Analysis

Terrorism fears have provided some countries a ready ruse for doing something for their own purposes. Japan is one of them, climbing on the bandwagon of the United States' war on terrorism.

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Japan Destroyer Leaves for the Indian Ocean

Terrorism fears have provided some countries a ready ruse for doing something for their own purposes.

Japan is one of them, climbing on the bandwagon of the United States' war on terrorism.

The Maritime Self-Defence Force's Aegis-equipped destroyer Kirishima left Yokosuka on Monday for the Indian Ocean.

The Japanese media reported the warship will join the US-led anti-terrorism campaign.

The United States and Britain are picking a fight with Iraq after "scrutinizing" Iraq's arms report.

The timing of the destroyer's move is controversial.

Japan's warship can link up with the advanced US defence data network to share gathered intelligence. If US military forces attack Iraq based on information shared through the network, this could mean Japan's involvement in military action and an exercise of the right to collective self-defence, which is banned under its Constitution.

Therefore, it heralds a shift in Japan's defence policy.

Under Article 9 of Japan's Constitution, it "renounces war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force."

The article has been traditionally interpreted as prohibiting collective defence, including joint military operations with US forces and collective security activities like United Nations peace-keeping operations.

Stretching interpretation of the Constitution to a virtual revision by putting the destroyer dispatch under last year's counter-terrorism law is not tenable.

Japan's Self-Defence Force has the world's third largest military budget and is armed with state-of-the-art weapons, including four 7,250-ton Aegis destroyers. Another is on order and funds have been required for one more.

The latest development has encouraged speculation that Japan is using its military to assume a higher international profile.

With Japanese nationalism on the rise, it might be natural for some Japanese to call on the armed forces to play a more active role in its foreign policy.

If the call is just an expression of nationalism, Japan needs to rethink and find more creative, peaceful options for expanding its international presence before concluding a show of military strength is best.

Pacifism can still be a source of national pride rather than an obstacle of it. (China Daily news)

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