For the People?
The following is the actual translation of Article 9 of the Constitution of Japan as of 1947:Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes.
In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.
Seems friendly, right? Wrong. Why?
- This constitution was imposed by the American government after the defeat of Japan in WWII.
- Since their defeat by the United States, Japan is not in a position to disagree with or defy American policy or political (insert: war-related) decisions. Despite a marked public and political reluctance to support the US in the War on Iraq, the Japanese government decided there was no choice but to do so.
- America is now strongly "encouraging" that Japan amend this Article to allow military forces.
- America is not happy with the current level of Japanese "support" for the Iraqi war (peacekeeping efforts) but would prefer military involvement.
Whatever suits ya'll at the time, right guys?
I don't know about you, but I find this all very scary.
Thanks to my student, Yoshiko, for the political updates.
Reminds me of our constitution in Germany. After the war, Germany was also not allowed to build up its army again.
On the 5th of May 1955 the "Bundeswehr" was founded as an army of "responsible citizens". To assure this attitude, recruts were not only volunteers but also young men of the age of 19-26 that are drafted.
Due to our constitution the "Bundeswehr" was not allowed to operate outside Germany's borders but that is in controverse discussion since the Iraq war. As the Social Democrates at that time had the majority, Germany did not join the United States in the war although the opposition wanted to. Today the "Bundeswehr's" main tasks are peace maintenance (Afghanistan, Kosovo, etc.), immediate help in case of disasters (Tzunami DEC 2004, etc.) and to bug young men (as me some years ago) who still are recruted for now 9 months of military service.