There's a significant sea change affecting Japanese defence policy. Some would say it's the result of a political tsunami. Others would argue it's a long overdue wake-up call.
After years of scrupulously keeping within the limits of its post-war constitution and maintaining self-imposed spending norms of keeping military spending at 1% of GDP, the Tokyo government has green-lighted a doubling of defence spending and taken a more assertive political stance on the global stage.
The doubling of defence spending; from 1 to 2% within five years, may not sound like much, but before anyone smirks, the increase makes Japan's military budget the world's third largest, only behind the United States and communist China!
