The Rising Sun

Riding upon the euphoria of Abenomics and nationalism, Japan
is scheduled for a massive shift in it's national security paradigm

In the political world, not many people get second chances, especially if they are dealt the hand Abe had when he resigned in 2007. Now, six years later, Shinzo Abe is getting second chance--with a standing ovation from the people of Japan. Currently, he is enjoying the benefits of having a 76% approval rating, breaking a decade long mold for past Prime Ministers. By stirring up nationalism and issuing a provocative "three arrow" plan to solve Japan's two decade long economic stagnation, Abe is offering a route for Japan to become the influential and unwavering power that it is capable of becoming.

What's most striking about Prime Minister Abe is his focus on national security. Abe's plans for defense policy strongly disrupts the status quo. The Liberal Democratic Party aims to amend the constitution, allowing the Japanese to take out the "Self" in "Japanese Self Defense Force" A gesture that in part may be symbolic; a reference to a new commitment to a tougher stance on issues relating not only to its immediate geographic area, but to the greater globe as well.

Of course, making a symbolic gesture doesn't always mean that actual action will occur. Abe's plans also involve pragmatic evolutions to both Japan's defense and foreign policies. Not only does Abe want a military that's more capable of deterring China's increasing rise, he also wants one that can project Japanese force abroad and affirm Japan's position as an international player capable of protecting its global interests.

This is a fairly rapid shift from the country, which has been isolationist since the end of World War Two. The JSDF has only deployed small contingents of service members overseas. Two notable deployments were the soldiers deployed to Iraq in 2003 and the destroyers currently deployed on anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. It will be interesting to see if Japan, which has one of the most capable navies in the world, begins to sign mutual defense treaties with other nations, deploys more troops overseas or acts more aggressively with its military in the coming years.