Japan lifted its longtime restriction on striking other countries — widely seen as a major step toward rearming the nation after its demilitarization following WWII.
It's the biggest shift in Japan's defense policy since its cabinetJapan's ruling party has long wanted to amend theto remove restrictions on its military, but it has been unable to muster enough public support.
Former defense official Kyoji Yanagisawa is one of the few dissenting voices. He believes the missiles will not deter potential adversaries, and Japan would be better off investing in diplomacy to avoid war. , a constitutional law expert at Waseda University in Tokyo. Japan's government, though, he adds, may be able to successfully argue that simply possessing the weapons as a deterrent without using them is in line with the constitution.
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