Nationalist prime minister Shinzo Abe set out his case today for beefing up pacifist Japan's rules of engagement, saying he wants the armed forces to be able to enter battle in defence of allies.
Citing a rising climate of disquiet in north and southeast Asia, Abe said Japan needs to cast off constitutional strictures that have prevented its so-called Self Defence Forces from firing a shot in combat since 1945.
"As prime minister, I have the responsibility to protect the lives of people under any circumstances," he told reporters in Tokyo.
"I don't think the constitution says we have to abandon the responsibility to protect the lives of people.
"If we can enhance our deterrence, it will prevent our country from being involved in war."
Around 500 people demonstrated against the prime minister's plans near his official residence, with some carrying banners that read "Exercising collective defence is equal to waging war."
The prime minister has long nurtured a desire to see more flexibility in Japan's pacifist constitution, which was imposed by the occupying United States in the aftermath of Tokyo's World War II defeat.
Article 9 of the document -- which has reportedly been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize -- says Japan forever renounces the use of force as a means of settling international disputes.
For decades, governments have held that this means Japan's military may only open fire if fired upon, even if that entails leaving US counterparts in danger on the same battlefield.
Unable to change the constitution because of deep domestic resistance, Abe has argued for the next-best thing: a reinterpretation of the laws to permit "collective defence".
A panel of academics, diplomats and military advisers convened by the prime minister has come up with a series of proposals on possible legal frameworks for military action.
Over the coming months, Abe will use this document to persuade a sometimes-sceptical public of his case as he looks to shepherd his plans through the labyrinth of Japan's political system.
