JSIS 495 - Winter 2025: Task Force D: Remilitarizing Japan?: American Foreign Policy and the Japanese Constitution

The Liberal Democratic Party’s proposed revision of the Japanese Constitution would likely also include changes in Article 9, the article that renounces war and is widely seen as the cornerstone of Japanese pacifism. Our alliance with Japan is a pivotal element of America’s global strategy, but will the rise of China and the Japanese response to this transform the US-Japan alliance? Your Task Force is charged with preparing a brief for the Secretary of State on this issue. Key points you must address are: (1) is the proposed change in Article 9 in the national interest of the United States or not? (2) is it practical or advisable for the US to support or oppose this proposed change, and if so, what steps should the US take? And, (3) if the proposed changes come to pass, what steps should the US take? This challenging task force requires a variety of expertise sets: domestic Japanese party politics, international relations theory, China’s role in East Asia, US global strategy, and tactical level US policy initiatives and instruments.