Japan rearmed: the politics of military power.

The article discusses Sheila Smith's examination of Japan's evolving military posture, particularly its increasing acceptance of military force as a tool of statecraft. It highlights key developments, including the reinterpretation of Japan's constitution under former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to allow collective self-defense and the enactment of security legislation permitting the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) to operate abroad. Despite these changes, the article notes that Japan remains primarily focused on self-defense and faces ongoing political sensitivities regarding the use of force outside its territory. Smith attributes shifts in Japan's defense policy to perceived threats from North Korea and China, as well as concerns about the reliability of U.S. defense commitments. The article concludes that Smith's work is a significant contribution to understanding Japan's military evolution over the past seventy years. [Extracted from the article]