This year's government report on defense, the first since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, devotes much space to the terror-related events. That was only to be expected, considering that they have changed the contours of the international community, particularly the global security environment.
The white paper comes across as a ringing endorsement of the U.S. military campaign against terrorism. In the absence of an in-depth analysis of the terrorist attacks, however, its staunchly pro-American stance sounds less than persuasive. The report also leaves much to be desired in the examination of Japan's security policy.
The approach of the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 incident evokes vivid memories. The report says that those unimaginable acts of terrorism -- unimaginable in casualties (more than 3,000 dead), the pattern of attack (crashing hijacked airliners into America's symbols of power) and other aspects -- have "made us realize that the world is in a new age of anxiety." It is a statement that hits the nail on the head.