North Korea’s escalating nuclear and missile threats pose a security and moral dilemma for Japan: How should it deter and defend against an existential national security threat while remaining true to its constitutional ideals?

Japan responded to increasing Chinese incursions into its territorial waters and airspace by strengthening its forces to defend against attacks on the southwest islands. The Self-Defense Forces augmented air- and sea-launched missile capabilities to target invading Chinese units.

But, to date, Tokyo has reserved discussion of attacking enemy targets on foreign soil to North Korean contingencies.