Publication

This paper argues that Japan is moving away from its pacifist past toward a more stubborn and outward-looking security posture characterized by a greater willingness to use the Self Defense Force (SDF) in support of its foreign policy and defense interests. It looks at the development of Japan's security policy, reviews the capabilities of the SDF, examines the regional responses and discusses the Australia-Japan security relationship. The author argues that the shift is gaining momentum and represents a defining watershed in Japan's post-war security policy.