Editorial:

Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies professor Dr. Jeffrey Hornung coauthored an editorial entitled ‘In Japan’s defense change, context is everything‘ in The Japan Times.

Here is a summary of the editorial:

“The announcement by Japan’s government that it will reinterpret the country’s constitution and permit a greater range of military activity has evoked reactions across the spectrum. From outright opposition in Beijing and suspicion in Seoul, to unqualified support in Washington and Canberra, Japan’s historic shift has sparked vigorous debate across capitals in Asia and beyond. And while the decision to permit the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF) to engage in collective self-defense represents a landmark moment in the country’s security maturation, Tokyo’s next steps will be more important still. In setting the domestic context for Japan’s new military roles, its leaders’ stance on historical issues will help determine how far its neighbors and partners will go toward supporting or opposing its security evolution.”

For the full article, go to http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2014/07/18/commentary/japan-commentary/in-japans-defense-change-context-is-everything/?utm_source=rss&#.U8o9oPldUlQ

The views in this article are those of the author and is not necessarily the view of the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, U.S. Pacific Command or the U.S. Government.

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