The Myth of Japanese Rearmament

Summary:
Supporters of Prime Minister Abe claim that, thanks to him, « Japan is back, » echoing the Terminator’s famous line, « I’ll be back. » As evidence they point to the new security legislation, the liberalization of arms exports, and a beefed up national security budget.
Left-wing opponents of the government, both in Japan and overseas, warn that Japan is « rearming » and developing the legal basis for what could be a return to the dark old days of the early Showa era.
In truth, the actual changes made to Japanese security policy have been minor. What some herald as the dawn of a new era is actually more akin to minimalist incrementalism than to drastic change.
Today, Japan is facing its most frightening challenge since 1945 in the shape of the Trump presidency. Will this force Abe to alter Japan’s national defense policy?

Profile:
Robert Dujarric has been director of the Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies (ICAS) at Temple University, Japan since 2007. He graduated from Harvard College and holds an MBA from Yale University.
He has lived in Tokyo since 2004, when he was a Council on Foreign Relations/Hitachi-sponsored fellow at the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI). His major research interests are Japan, Asian security, and US foreign policy.
For more information visit: http://www.tuj.ac.jp/icas/staff.html

Moderator: Rémi SCOCCIMARRO (UMIFRE 19 – MFJ)

Organization: Bureau français de la MFJ
Co-organization: CCI France Japon.