(ECNS) --Recently, Japanese government officials worshiped the notorious Yasukuni Shrine, which honors 14 convicted Class-A Japanese war criminals from World War II alongside the war dead, while Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sent a ritual offering. Coupled with moves to revise the Constitution for allowing lethal weapons export and restore the rank titles of Self-Defense Forces officers, these moves have raised serious concerns. Japan's military buildup has entered a more aggressive phase.
These moves reflect a shift in Japan's security policy from defense to offense, said Chen Zilei, president of the Shanghai Association for Japanese Studies and director of the Japanese Economic Research Center at Shanghai University of International Business and Economics, in an exclusive interview with China News Network. He warned that vigilance is needed against a possible resurgence of militarism in Japan.
Chen noted that Takaichi has constantly used various means to provide political compensation to right-wing forces in Japan. By stoking confrontation with countries such as China and South Korea over historical issues, she seeks to consolidate support from internal right-wing groups and strengthen her political base.
At the same time, heightened tensions between Japan and its neighboring countries help Washington maintain greater control over Tokyo, and allow the United States to leverage Japan to stir up the situation in East Asia—an outcome the U.S. is willing to see, Chen said.
Chen further pointed out that Takaichi's campaign slogan, "Japan is back," combined with the April 21 revisions to "three principles on transfer of defense equipment and technology" and their implementation guidelines, clearly signals her policy direction—the growing rise of neo-militarist forces in Japan.
Looking back at Japan's gradual efforts to break free from the constraints of its postwar pacifist constitution, Chen explained that the origins of these principles can be traced back to the 1967 "Three Principles on Arms Exports" introduced under then-Prime Minister Eisaku Sato.
The 1967 principles prohibited arms exports to socialist countries, countries subject to "arms" exports embargo under the UN resolutions, and countries involved in or likely to be involved in international conflicts.
In 1976, then- Prime Minister Takeo Miki's administration revised the 1967 principles, creating a near-total ban on arms exports and reflecting Japan's postwar pacifist stance at that time.
However, with the rise of right-wing forces, Japan has gradually loosened these restrictions. In 1983, it began allowing the transfer of military technology to the United States.
In 2014, by replacing the original arms export ban with the current framework, the Japanese government permitted Japan to export defense equipment and technology across five non-combat categories, signaling a fundamental shift from arms exports being "prohibited in principle" to "permitted in principle." Chen said this move signaled Japan's intent to hollow out its pacifist constitution and push forward strategic transformation beyond legal constraints.
In 2022, these principles were further revised in response to the Ukraine Crisis, during which Japan provided equipment such as bulletproof vests to Ukraine.
Subsequently, in 2023, Japan approved the re-export of Patriot air defense missiles to the United States. In 2024, Japan also relaxed rules on jointly developed defense equipment, allowing next-generation fighter jets developed with the United Kingdom and Italy to be exported directly to third countries, removing key barriers to the export of large-scale offensive weapons.
On April 21, 2026, Japan scraped rules that had limited Japan's defense equipment exports to five non-combat categories, namely rescue, transport, warning, surveillance and minesweeping. Chen noted that this marks a shift from incremental adjustments to rapid expansion, representing another step down the dangerous path of neo-militarism. It also signifies the complete end of the 1976 ban.
Looking back at history, Chen said that Japan's current approach bears striking similarities to the path leading up to Japan's war of aggression against China in the past. He argued that revising these principles is intended to promote remilitarization by fueling a regional arms race and escalating geopolitical tensions, thereby lending support to neo-militarism.
Chen emphasized that these moves Such actions seriously pose a serious challenge to the regional security order, and undermine regional peace and cooperation, as well as the mutual trust among countries that has developed under the framework of reginal economic integration.
He said that China remains committed to safeguarding world peace and development, firmly upholding multilateralism and the international order. At the same time, China must resolutely fight separatist forces aimed at "Taiwan independence" and oppose interference by external forces. China will work with peace-loving countries to curb the rise of neo-militarism in Japan.
中新经纬1月11日电 据国家药品监督管理局网站消息，1月9日至10日，全国药品监督管理工作会议在北京召开。 会议对2024年药品监管工作作了四个方面具体部署。一是打好防控药品安全风险主动仗。把防范化解药品质量安 39.5万人次！春节期间上海机场单日旅客吞吐量创下历年春运最高纪录 中新网2月18日电 据上海机场集团微信公众号消息，自2月6日春运出港高峰首日至2月17日(年初八)，上海浦东、虹桥机场共保障进出港旅客437.6万人次( 新华社记者高敬“前不久，生态环境部和有关部门印发了指导意见，进一步推进农村生活污水治理。在这份文件中，我们去年提出的科学统筹规划、强化资金投入等建议，都有所体现。”近日，全国人大代表、四川省宣汉 2月电影票房破100亿，传媒板块多股涨停，行业有望持续繁荣 2月23日，传媒板块盘中持续走强，截至发稿，宣亚国际20%涨停，赛因集团涨超19%，文投控股、天威视讯、中视传媒等多股涨停，川网传媒、百纳千成涨超8%。 消息上，据 福建今年首个核电机组工程开工 中新社漳州2月22日电 (记者 张金川)福建漳州核电3号机组22日开工建设，这是福建今年首台开工建设的核电机组，标志着漳州核电二期工程建设序幕全面拉开。 据悉，此次开工的二期工程 中国一汽审计与法务部总经理闫锋接受纪律审查和监察调查 中新网2月22日电 据中央纪委国家监委网站，据中国一汽纪委、吉林省纪委监委消息：中国一汽审计与法务部总经理闫锋涉嫌严重违纪违法，目前正接受中国一汽纪委 。本文链接：Insights | Japan's shift away from postwar pacifist constitution raises fears of neo-militarism: exphttp://www.sushuapos.com/show-5-101116-0.html
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