Japan rewrites defense rules for first time in decades, sparking pacifism protests

Japan is overhauling its defense policy framework for the first time in decades, prompting rare street protests from citizens and groups who argue the shift abandons the country's postwar pacifist constitution and identity. The policy revision allows for expanded military capabilities and defense spending, marking a significant departure from decades of constitutional restraint on Japan's armed forces. This matters globally because Japan's security posture affects regional stability in East Asia, where tensions with China and North Korea remain elevated, and influences the U.S.-Japan alliance that underpins American military strategy in the Pacific. The protests reflect deep domestic divisions over whether Japan should strengthen its military independence or maintain its historical defense constraints.