Legislative Background
Recent Action on Defense Policy
Since 1945, no Japanese soldier has fired a gun in combat or been killed in action, and troops have been restricted to low-risk activities, such as reconstruction, in safe areas. The last few years have seen a gradual change in Japan’s culture of pacifism established in the period following World War II, and the country has taken a series of small steps to assert itself abroad. In early 1990s, Japan provided money for the Gulf War, and in 1998, its sense of security was shaken by North Korea’s missile launch over the mainland. Following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks…
