Bloomberg writer Noah Smith, in his Feb. 24 op-ed article titled "Will Japan become Asia's next autocracy?," warns of the danger in Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's attempt to amend the Constitution with the Liberal Democratic Party's illiberal draft proposals, yet thinks it sensible to repeal Article 9, which prohibits Japan from using armed forces to resolve international conflicts.
That might be the predominant view among knowledgeable liberals in the West, but that view is dangerous. The restriction of individual freedoms and rights as well as the repeal of this pacifist article are inseparable from Abe's drive to rewrite the Constitution in the quest for a remilitarized Japan.
No one can deny the discrepancy between Article 9 and the reality of the security situation today. But haven't there also been discrepancies between the "reality" and the pretexts presented by the United States for its past military actions?
This is not criticism in hindsight. We have been criticizing the U.S. since before it invaded Iraq without authentic justification and ushered in the mess that now dismays the world.
Article 9 was, and is, a lofty attempt to bring an end to the endless repetition of such grandiose stupidities. It has ensured that Japan's armed forces do not aim their weapons at people in other countries. It is our most valued treasure.
We Japanese are notorious as inept diplomatic players; hence our disproportionately poor contributions to world affairs.
At least with the pacifist Constitution, we can contribute something to the world.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.