Japan national security strategy

Within Japan, there are debates as to how new – and how hawkish – the 2022 National Security Strategy really is.

Since the end of World War II, Japan has been struggling to strike the right balance between pacifism and productive security engagement with the world.

With new defense budget ambitions and revised security documents, Japan’s current security policies reflect both continuity and change. 

The problem lies in the gray zone.

Each has implications for the other.

Insights from Jeffrey Hornung.

The Japanese prime minister's U.S. visit, and the latest 2+2 consultations, emphasized an even-closer alliance amid Japan's changing security posture.

Tokyo’s dramatic shifts on defense and China policy are likely to have ramifications for New Zealand.

It’s one thing to commit to a stronger military and another thing to use it.

Increasingly, many countries that have traditionally maintained a defensive and pacifist posture, like Japan, are having to reconsider their options. 

The shift in Japan's security policy was the result of a series of parliamentary debates stretching back decades.