Abstract
On 1 July 2014, Japans Abe government announced a major change to the countrys post-war security policy by effectively lifting the ban on collective self-defence. The Abe government introduced new legislation that reinterpreted Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, thereby permitting Japan to use military force to come to the aid of an ally or a country in a close relationship with Japan when it is under armed attack. Chinas response to Japans reinterpretation of the constitution has been predictably negative. The official Xinhua news agency described the changes as a brutal violation of the spirit of Japans pacifist constitution, while the Chinese Foreign Ministry in more muted tones suggested that constitutional reinterpretation raised doubts about Japans commitment to peaceful development.
| Original language | English |
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| No. | 27 July 2014 |
| Specialist publication | East Asia Forum |
| Publication status | Published - 2014 |