A NYT piece on the shift in the Japanese public’s view towards its military in the face of China’s and North Korea’s threats.

“Although Japanese liberals and critics elsewhere in Asia fear that [Prime Minister Shinzo] Abe is using regional tensions as an excuse to ram through a hawkish agenda, opinion polls show he has broad public support for his overall policies.”

The article also notes the boost the Japanese Self Defense Force received through their domestic work after the Fukushima disaster. But the main driver, of course, is China, which is emboldening Abe to pursue a more activist, normalized Japanese military. It’s also potentially giving its armaments industry a boost, which will have many customers through Asia.