Pacifist Japan Embraces Strong Military in World of Threats
- PM Kishida says status quo on defense needs to change
- Protests against change are muted amid security worries
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Japan is distancing itself from the pacifist stance it’s embraced since its World War II defeat, in a historic shift met by little of the outrage that’s marked security policy changes in the past.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has cast aside a decades-old defense spending cap, aiming to bolster outlays by 60% over the next five years. Last week’s new national security strategy enshrined a decision to obtain precision cruise missiles capable of striking neighboring China, North Korea and Russia.