Opinion

For 80 years, Japan has tied its own hands. Will it now get a ‘normal’ military?

Murmurs grow to amend Japan's post-war pacifist Constitution and formalise a force that can defend the country. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.
BBC

Japan loosens arms export rules in break from post-WW2 pacifism

Japan's eight decades of pacifism looks to be dismantling since Sanae Takaichi became Prime Minister in October 2025 Japan has relaxed decades-old restrictions on its arms exports, clearing the way ...
World Socialist Web Site

Mass protests in Japan against war and remilitarisation

Large protests took place on Sunday throughout Japan against plans by the right-wing coalition government of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to water down Article 9—the so-called pacifist ...
The Washington Post

Japan is a pacifist nation, and now a hint of change is drawing rare protests

TOKYO — As a security hawk, Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, has initiated a plan to consider changes to the pacifist clause in the country’s constitution, which has constrained its military ...
Reuters

Explainer: How Trump's Hormuz push tests Japan's pacifist limits

TOKYO, March 18 - U.S. President Donald Trump's call for allies to send warships to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz has revived questions about how far pacifist Japan can go to support ...