page_title: Military history of Japan
section_title: Resurgence
hierarchical_section_title: Military history of Japan / Contemporary period / Heisei era (1989–2019) / Resurgence
caption_attribution_description: 日本語: 日米共同統合演習 「キーン・ソード2013」 の終了後、東シナ海を航行する日米の艦艇。手前から奥、右から左に、 1列目 護衛艦ひゅうが 2列目 米空母ワシントン、護衛艦いせ （艦首のみ） 3列目 おおすみ型輸送艦 （艦名不詳）、護衛艦くらま 4列目 おやしお型 または そうりゅう型潜水艦、こんごう型護衛艦、むらさめ型 または たかなみ型護衛艦 （いずれも艦名不詳）English: EAST CHINA SEA (Nov. 16, 2012) - Twenty-six ships from the U.S. Navy and the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force, including ships from the George Washington Strike Group, steam together after the conclusion of exercise Keen Sword 2013. Keen Sword 2013 is a biannual exercise held in order to enable the United States and Japan to train in coordination procedures and heighten interoperability needed to effectively defend or respond to a crisis in Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Jennifer A. Villalovos/Released) Nikon D300S
context_page_description: The military history of Japan chronicles a vast time period over three millennia from the Jōmon 1000 BCE into the modern day. It is characterized by a long period of clan warfare until the 12th century CE. This was followed by feudal wars that culminated in military governments known as the Shogunate. Japanese history is distinguished by that the military class with the Shōgun ruled Japan for 676 years from 1192 until 1868 CE. The Shōgun and samurai warriors were near the apex of the Japanese social structure. Only the aristocratic nobility were nominally above them. The sakoku policy closed Japan from foreigners for 212 years from 1641 to 1853. Feudal militarism transitioned to imperialism in the 19th century after the arrival of Admiral Perry and the elevation of Emperor Meiji. Japan was influenced by western colonial powers and Western imperialism in Asia. This led to Japanese colonialism and rampant imperialism until Japan's defeat in World War II. The 1947 Constitution prohibits Japan's ability to offensively use war against other nations. This led to the Japan Self-Defense Forces.
context_section_description: Since 2010, Japan reemerged as a major military power. Various policies increased the role of Japan's military in its foreign policy. Japan's 2010 National Defense Program Guidelines changed its defense policy from a focus on the former Soviet Union to China.
  After a decade of defense spending cuts, Japan increased its defense budget in 2013. The Cabinet of Japan approved the National Security Strategy (NSS) in December 2013. This explains what instigated Japan's military resurgence: 
  China is using military force in the skies and seas to unilaterally change the status quo in the South China Sea and East China Sea. This is based on China's assertions that are incompatible with the established order. China also lacks transparency of its military and national security policies.
  The Japanese are concerned about a gradual decline in commitment by the United States to support Japan in a multi-polarizing world. Thus since 2010 Japan has moved to a more autonomous security policy while maintaining the U.S.-Japan alliance. Japan has increased its power projection capabilities such as with the development of homemade long-range cruise missiles, the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade and the modification of two Izumo-class destroyers into de facto aircraft carriers with F-35bs. There's gradual integration among the three JSDF branches so they can operate more autonomously from the US.
  The United States maintains American military bases in Japan as part of the U.S.-Japan alliance of 1951. Most US military are in Okinawa Prefecture. In 2013 there were approximately 50,000 U.S. military personnel stationed in Japan with 40,000 dependents and 5,500 American civilians employed by the United States Department of Defense. The United States Seventh Fleet is based in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture.  The 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) is based in Okinawa. 130 USAF fighters are stationed in the Misawa Air Base and Kadena Air Base. U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka is the largest and strategically most important U.S. naval base in the western Pacific. The base was previously the headquarters of the Yokosuka Naval District of the Imperial Japanese Navy, but now only a small portion of it is used by the JMSDF. Kadena Air Base is the largest and most active US Air Force base in the Far East. Japan pays 75% ($4.4 billion) of all US basing costs. Japan's willingness to host the majority of the US Armed Forces in Asia makes Japan essential to America's security policy in the Indo-Pacific. This helps the U.S. to project military force in the Pacific and Asia. The U.S.-Japan alliance is the cornerstone of peace, stability and economic prosperity in the Pacific.
  On December 4, 2013, the National Security Council was established to coordinate the national security policies of Japan.
  In June 2014, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his cabinet agreed to lift the long-term ban on Japanese troops engaging in combat abroad. This was in a bid to strengthen the Japanese situation amid an ever-growing Chinese military aggression and North Korea's nuclear weapons programme.
  The JSDF Act was amended in 2015 in order to make it illegal for JSDF personnel/staff to participate in collective insubordination or to command forces without authority or in violation of orders, which was stated to be the reason why Japan was involved in China in World War II.
caption: USS George Washington and JS Hyūga after the exercise Keen Sword 2013.
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