Reawakening the Bushido Code: Japan’s Push for Military Deterrence

Since Japan’s ignominious WWII defeat, the U.S. occupation and establishment of its “peace” constitution, the Japanese people have been thoroughly acculturated to pacifism. Domestic military capabilities were viewed as legitimate only for defensive purposes and were not considered strategic necessities -- especially as its sovereignty was guaranteed by the United States, the world’s leading superpower. Anything hinting at military build-up beyond self-defense was met with widespread public condemnation. A decade’s worth of aggression, however, has left the Japanese rethinking their longstanding pacifist approach. China’s escalating military incursions into the South and East China Seas, North Korea’s frequent missile launches over and into sovereign Japanese territory, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine highlight the existential threat posed to Japan, and the need to strengthen its defenses to deter and if necessary, fend off attack. This work reviews the history of Japanese pacifism and the growing recognition of the country's defensive necessity, the extent of the threats that Japan faces, Tokyo’s plans to build a credible deterrent, and the issues and challenges for doing so with a relatively short runway.