Why Japan is debating its military future - Asia Specific podcast, BBC World Service

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi says she wants a vote on changing Japan's constitution, reviving a debate that could reshape the country's Self-Defense Forces, its alliance with the US, and relations within Asia. Click here to subscribe to our channel 👉🏽 https://bbc.in/3VyyriM Japan's post-war constitution has remained unchanged since it came into force in 1947. Its famous Article 9 renounces war and prohibits the country from maintaining a regular military. Yet Japan today has one of the world's most advanced armed forces and hosts the largest concentration of US troops overseas. Now, with growing concerns in Japan about China's rapid military expansion, North Korea's missile programme, and uncertainty over America's long-term commitment to Asian security, supporters of constitutional reform argue that Japan needs to clarify its defence role and become more self-reliant. Some critics fear it could weaken Japan's pacifist identity, alarm neighbouring countries, and revive memories of Japan's wartime past. In this episode, host Mariko Oi speaks to BBC Tokyo correspondent Kurumi Mori and Financial Times Tokyo bureau chief Leo Lewis about why Japan's constitution is unique, how the country ended up with a military despite Article 9, what Prime Minister Takaichi wants to change, and whether Japanese voters are ready to support constitutional reform for the first time in history. Find out what Japan’s Minister of Defence Shinjiro Koizumi says about the country’s pacifist constitution here 👉🏽 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly8qd4595eo We have uploaded this video again. 00:00 - Introduction 01:49 - Does Japan have a military force? 03:02 - Why are there so many US military bases in Japan? 04:15 - How Japanese people feel about the country’s pacifist constitution 05:54 - What is behind the political push in Japan to change its pacifist stance 07:04 - What Japan’s ruling LDP party want revised in its pacifist constitution 08:37 - Kurumi Mori’s interview with Shinjiro Koizumi, Japan’s Minister of Defence 11:20 - Why the subject of Japan’s pacifist constitution is extremely sensitive in the country 14:30 - Do Japanese people think the US will protect the country if it sticks to its pacifist constitution? 16:38 - How China has reacted to the surging debate in Japan on building up the country’s self-defence force 18:16 - Will Japan change its pacifist constitution? Watch more episodes of Asia Specific here 👉🏽 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz_B0PFGIn4c3njIxB0KHuO8SS2mBMtUc Instagram: @bbcworldservice Email: asiaspecific@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Mariko Oi Producer: Derek Cai, Rachel Lee Camera: Aimran Supardi, Muhammad Fahmi Bin Jamal, Rosalehin Bin Rosli, Khairul Danish Bin Mohd Roslee Editor: Bill Birtles ---------------- This is the official BBC World Service YouTube channel. If you like what we do, you can also find us here: Instagram 👉🏽 https://www.instagram.com/bbcworldservice Twitter 👉🏽 https://twitter.com/bbcworldservice Facebook 👉🏽 https://facebook.com/bbcworldservice BBC World Service website 👉🏽 https://www.bbc.co.uk/worldserviceradio Thanks for watching and subscribing! #BBCWorldService #WorldService #asiaspecific #asiaspecificpodcast #japan #pacifism #japanmilitary #constitution