Leaders of officially pacifist Japan want to expand military, already one of the world’s strongest
LA TimesDozens of tanks and soldiers fired explosives and machine guns in drills Monday on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido, a main stronghold for a nation that is perhaps the world’s least-known military powerhouse. Just across the sea from rival Russia, Japan opened its Self Defense Force’s firing exercises to the media in a public display of firepower that coincides with a recent escalation of Chinese and Russian military moves around Japanese territory. During arch-conservative former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s rule, which lasted more than eight years and ended a year ago, Japan significantly expanded its military role and budget. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who took office in October, said during his first troop review that he would consider “all options,” including possibly pursuing preemptive strike capabilities, to further “increase Japan’s defense power” — a divisive move that opponents say violates the constitution.
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