Remilitarization threatens region

Japan's rapid departure from its postwar pacifist stance, marked by a significant push toward remilitarization, is undermining the country's pacifist constitution, experts caution.

They warn that this shift threatens to ignite an arms race and destabilize regional security, arguing that forsaking pacifism will ultimately heighten risks to Japan itself. The ballooning defense spending, experts add, places an unsustainable burden on national finances at the expense of social welfare.

Since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office, the nation's remilitarization has accelerated. Recently, the Takaichi government moved to revise the operational guidelines of the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology, further easing restrictions on arms exports. It has also accelerated plans to deploy long-range missiles across Japan and is seeking to promote constitutional revision.

As reported by NHK World-Japan, Japan's Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said on Friday that Japan has begun taking delivery of US-made Tomahawk cruise missiles, which have a range of approximately 1,600 kilometers.

Zhang Yulai, a professor at the Japan Institute of Nankai University in Tianjin, said that Japan's recent actions have effectively hollowed out Article 9 of its constitution, which explicitly renounces war and the maintenance of war potential and mandates an exclusively defense-oriented policy.

He warned that Tokyo's current approach risks heightening regional tensions, potentially triggering a new arms race and posing a threat to global peace.

Japan's military buildup has been ongoing for the past decade, with its defense budget for the fiscal year 2026 marking the 14th consecutive year of increase, exceeding a 60 percent rise in the last five years.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Japan's arms imports surged 76 percent between 2021-25 compared to 2016-20, elevating its rank from the world's 11th to the sixth largest arms importer.

Da Zhigang, a research fellow at the Institute of Northeast Asian Studies of the Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences, pointed out that Japan's continuous increase in defense spending and growing weapons imports indicate a qualitative shift in its national defense policy.

"It has moved away from the exclusively defense-oriented posture toward a more offensive stance — one that even includes preemptive strikes against enemy bases," Da said. "In practice, this means Japan is adopting an active offensive posture, with the potential to deploy troops overseas and conduct operations in international waters."

Source of tension

This approach runs counter to Japan's pacifist principles developed over the past 80 years, Da noted. "It creates significant uncertainty for regional and global stability, serving as a source of tension in the area and intensifying the arms race around Japan. This, in turn, could push Japan to further increase military spending, creating a vicious cycle. Ultimately, the negative impact on Japan's own security environment could outweigh any perceived benefits."

Experts also warn that soaring defense spending could strain Japan's already fragile finances. According to IMF figures, Japan's general government debt has exceeded 200 percent of its GDP for over a decade.

"Japan is already grappling with government debt more than twice the size of its GDP. On top of that, the aging population is fueling a massive increase in social security costs which now eat up over 30 percent of the budget," said Zhang. "And with the birth rate continuing to plummet, the social security outlook is bleak. A major hike in defense spending might just be the tipping point that sends the country's finances over the edge."

The Takaichi government's push for a fundamental shift in Japan's security policy has sparked concerns and protests across Japanese society. During the night of March 10, nearly 10,000 people rallied in central Tokyo against the government's security policies, including missile deployments and relaxed arms export rules.

Da said, "Postwar peace brought Japan prosperity, and people felt the benefits. Now, if the government pushes remilitarization and shifts budgets from social welfare to defense, it will hit ordinary citizens hard — especially amid high inflation, a weak yen, and strained public finances."

"Many also worry," Da said, highlighting "that this rightward shift could hollow out Japan's pacifist constitution. They fear it may lead to national decline, or even risk repeating the tragic mistakes of World War II."

Agencies contributed to this story.

yangran1@chinadaily.com.cn