From Militarism to Pacifism: Understanding the Need to Revise Japan's Article 9 - 2018 Analysis of Constitutional Amendment to Legitimize Japanese Self-Defense Forces for Chinese Security Threat

This report has been professionally converted for accurate flowing-text e-book format reproduction. The Japanese are proceeding towards an Article 9 revision, and have been for some time. Careful consideration must be given to avoid a miscalculation that might threaten the peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Evolving from militarism to passive pacifism, the Japanese now need to evolve further into proactive pacifism to address today's security environment. Real security threats exist for the Japanese, driving shifts in public opinion and policy for the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. These new challenges, both internally to Japan and within the Indo-Pacific region, require an introspective look at outdated elements of the Japanese Constitution like Article 9. The potential ramifications of permanent constitutional changes are likely to be significant, but revision of Article 9 remains the logical conclusion to addressing these challenges. The United States must support its long-standing ally, as Japan takes the next logical step in reaffirming its rightful place alongside other reasonable actors in the Indo-Pacific region.

Soon, the Japanese government will legitimize the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) by amending the second clause to Article 9 of its Constitution. Changes to Article 9 may upset decades of status quo in the security environment and a perception of pacifism enjoyed by Japan today. Consequences for such a course of action could be beneficial or detrimental to the Indo-Pacific region, depending on whether the Japanese make a miscalculation in executing the change. Careful considerations must be made by both Japan and its ally, the United States, to fully understand the ramifications of such a decision and to demonstrate to others how the benefits outweigh any perceived problems for making this change.

With resurging military powers now capable of challenging the status quo, the security environment in the Indo-Pacific region has changed since World War II. The People's Republic of China (PRC), despite being decimated by two wars with Japan, has recovered and today is a regional power with global actions and ambitions. The PRC military continues to grow in size and strength, mustering the largest armed force in the world. As the Chinese occupy and develop new territories, like islands in the South China Sea, the PRC military plays an increasing role in its strategy. The PRC, embracing expansionism, as Japan once did, now influences other continents, like Africa and the Americas. Actors, like Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), inflame the security environment by choosing to nuclearize, elevating its arsenal in an effort to reach greater global notoriety. While its arsenal is threatening on its own, the DPRK also demonstrates the willingness to provoke Japan, disregarding established norms through frequent, unannounced ballistic missile testing in and around the islands of Japan. The Indo-Pacific region is less secure today.