TY - JOUR PY - 1988// TI - The Erosion of Anti-Militaristic Principles in Contemporary Japan JO - Journal of peace research A1 - Hook, G. D. SP - 381 EP - 394 VL - 25 IS - 4 N2 - The article examines militarization in contemporary Japan, as most saliently mamfest in increases in military spending and the buildup of military might, by focusing on the erosion of anti-militaristic principles. This includes the broader interpretation of Article 9 of the Constitution, which now permits certain 'offensive weaponry' and 'collective defense' type arrangements; the weakening of the 'three non-nuclear principles', which are not effective against port calls by US vessels laden with Tomahawk missiles and other nuclear-capable weapons; the relaxation of the ban on the export of defense-related technology, which from 1983 onwards makes an exception of exports to the United States; and the scrapping of the '1% ceiling' on military expenditures in the 1987 budget, which put an end to an important barrier to increases in military spending. The erosion of these principles has been facilitated by external factors -- American pressure, the Soviet military buildup in the region, and the decline in Asian criticism of Japan's military presence -- as well as by internal factors -- a greater acceptance of the Self Defense Forces and the US-Japan Security Treaty on the part of the opposition parties as well as the public.

LA - SN - 0022-3433 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/002234338802500405 ID - ref1 ER -