Is Japan on a path towards assuming a greater military role internationally or has the recent military normalisation ground to a halt since the premiership of Junichiro Koizumi? In this book Christopher W. Hughes assesses developments in defence expenditure civilâmilitary relations domestic and international militaryâindustrial complexes Japanâs procurement of regional and global power-projection capabilities the expansion of USâJapan cooperation and attitudes towards nuclear weapons constitutional revision and the use of military force. In all of these areas dynamic and long-term changes outweigh Japanâs short-term political logjam over security policy. Hughes argues that many post-war constraints on Japanâs military role are still eroding and that Tokyo is moving towards a more assertive military role and strengthened USâJapan cooperation. Japanâs remilitarisation will boost its international security role and the dominance of the USâJapan alliance in regional and global security affairs but will need to be carefully managed if it is not to become a source of destabilising tensions. . Language: English