South Korea on Tuesday urged Japan to dispel concerns among neighboring countries about its militaristic past as it moves to reinterpret its Constitution in such a way as to allow for the exercise of collective self-defense.
"Our position is that the discussions should be held on the basis of the pacifist Constitution, dispelling concerns among neighboring countries stemming from the past history and into a direction of contributing peace and stability in the region," Foreign Ministry spokesman Noh Kwang-il said during a press briefing.
His comments were made after Japan's ruling parties agreed earlier Tuesday on a major overhaul of the country's postwar security policy, allowing the exercise of the right to collective self-defense by reinterpreting the pacifist Constitution.