Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
Japan Needs a Real Defense in a Changing World
The historical experience of World War II and hostility of Japan’s neighbors were important factors in Tokyo’s long aversion to mounting a more robust defense. But so too was the opportunity to take a very cheap ride on the American military.
Japan Moves Closer to Defending Itself like a Normal Country
For almost seven decades the U.S. has played the dominant role in protecting Japan. The justification for doing so is long over.