For decades, Japan has maintained a low profile on defence spending and remainied dependent on its allies, mainly the US for security guarantees.
Then what happened now that Japan unveiled its biggest military build up since World war II?
Biggest Military Buildup
Japan last week unveiled a new national security plan that signals the country's biggest military buildup since World war II with a $320 billions five year plans, doubling defence spending in the face of growing threats from regional rivals.
PM Fumio Kishida said that government has approved security documents to bolster Japan's defence capabilities amid and an increasingly unstable security environment.
What are the New Measures?
The new measures include provisions that would enable Japan to possess "counterstrike
capabilities" the ability to directly attack another countries terrorist in the event of an emergency and under specific circumstances.
In taking the New defence initatiative, Japan is bending the interpretation of its post-World war II constitutions, which put constraint on its self defence force in that they can only be used for what their impiles defending the Japanese homeland.
Counterstrike Capability.
The biggest change in the National security strategy is the possession of "counterstrike capability" that Japan calls "indispensable."
Japan aims to achieve capability "to disrupt and defect invations against its nation much earlier and at a further distance" within about 10 years.
So Who is the threat?
Japan says missile attack against it have become "a palpable threat" and its current interceptor Reliant missile defence system is insufficient.
North Korea launched missile more than 30 times this year alone including one that overflew Japan and China fired ballistic missile into water near Southern Japanese Island.
China as Greatest Strategiec Challenge
Fear of regional security environment described as" the severest and most complicated" in the postwar Era has been a driving force behind the revision of Japan strategy.
China with its rapid arm Buildup, increasingly assertive military activity, and rivalry with the US parents "and unprecedented and the greatest Strategic challenge" to the peace and security of Japan and the international community, the strategy States.
Bottomline
Japan says it will keep it Pacifist principle of high standards for arms equipment and technology transfer.
But some easing is planned to allow currently restricted export offensive equipment and components, including those of the next-generation F-X fighter jet, as a way to strengthen the country defence equipment industry.