Old friends, new allies: Japan aims to shore up its security in Asia through its own military and a series of regional alliances.
Gints Ivuskans/Alamy Stock Photo
The invasion of Ukraine and increased Chinese pressure on Taiwan have prompted Japan to abandon decades of pacifism.
Shinzo Abe: Japan’s longest-serving post-WWII prime minister, who was assassinated on July * 2022.
EPA-EFE/ Kimimasa Mayama
Abe was Japan’s longest-serving post-war PM. His legacy, while considerable, is mixed.
Army in all but name: Japan’s self-defense forces during exercises in May 2021.
EPA-EFE/Akio Kon/pool
Since 1945, Japan’s constitution has barred the country from possessing an army, navy or air force. All that could soon change.