According to its constitution, Japan is prohibited from waging war and limits the size of its armed forces. In practice, the Asian country has experienced a rapid military buildup in recent decades, and top officials have called for a revision of the law.
Here is the short story of Japan drifting from pacifist nation to militarized US bandwagoner:
In 1951, Japan allowed US troops to be deployed on its territory despite its pacifist stance. In 1954, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF) were created. In 1960, the US was granted the right to establish military bases in Japan.
In 2001, Japan dispatched its Maritime Self-Defense Force for the first time to the Indian Ocean to provide logistical support to the US amid the Afghanistan War.
In 2015, the Japanese parliament passed a law expanding its operational assistance to allies fighting in foreign wars.
In December 2022, Japan issued a new national security doctrine aimed at doubling the country’s defense spending within the next five years, with a plan to buy 500 long-range land-attack Tomahawk cruise missiles.
The same year, some Japanese politicians advocated deploying US nuclear arms in the country.
In July 2023, Japan released its new Defense White Paper which named North Korea, China, and Russia as threats to the regional security environment.
In April 2024, the US and Japan signed over 70 military cooperation agreements, including on strengthening ties between their military industries, training, and maintenance of equipment.
Currently, around 63,000 US troops are stationed in Japan, with the country’s own active personnel amounting to around 247,000, as per The New York Times.