Japan Adopts Laws Strengthening Military Powers

As tensions mount in North Korea, the Japanese Parliament has passed a series of war contingency bills that increase the power of the government to use military force in a time of emergency. These bills represent the first major expansion of Japanese military power; the treaty ending WWII had reduced its military to a self-defense force that often facilitates US efforts. The laws have sparked a backlash from the country’s pacifist population and from neighbors who vividly remember Japan’s imperialistic past. Nevertheless, with North Korea reportedly able to hit Japan with a ballistic missile in about 10 minutes, the Japanese government wants to ensure that they will have freer reign in using their richly financed and technologically advanced military. – YaleGlobal