[handrake]

But I, as a Korean, (and I'm sure many other Asians too) can't help myself but to consider it as a big threat to the region's peace as I see tensions getting worse and worse between Japan and China/Korea especially on their maritime boundaries. Of course, you may have something on your own to say but still I don't think you can say Japan is making the right move every step of the way to the world peace.

After looking back to what happened from military expansion of Japanese imperialism back in WWII, I'm sure you understand why other Asian countries oppose to the idea and will stay that way.

[pm90]

I think Korea (I'm assuming RoK) has less to fear from Japan than from DPRK. The presence of US troops in both RoK and Japan pretty much prevents any kind of escalation of violence (if there is any to begin with). Besides, Japan's constitution explicitly forbids it from declaring war or maintaining a large offensive military[1].

After looking back to what happened from military expansion of Japanese imperialism back in WWII,

Except that Japan is now a democracy instead of a military-governed totalitarian state

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_9_of_the_Japanese_Const...

[bergie]

It seems the new nationalist government of Japan wants to change the constitution:

Mr Abe has made no secret of his wish to revise three of the country’s basic modern charters: the American-imposed constitution of 1946, committing Japan to pacifism; the education law, which Mr Abe thinks undervalues patriotism; and the security treaty with the United States, under which Japan plays a junior role. To describe the new government as “conservative” hardly captures its true character. This is a cabinet of radical nationalists.

http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21569046-shinzo-abes-appo...

[OGinparadise]

What you said is probably worrying think tanks but now it's totally different from back then: S Korea is no slouch and people are more aware. Not to mention that any rise of Japan will be checked by China. The last thing you want is a China that fears no one.

[handrake]

This could be a bit of a stretch, but if German government decides to increase military spending for economic recovery, wouldn't Poland and France be alerted and ask Germans to reconsider? Or it's totally different now from back then and let Germans to play with Leopards and U-boats again all they want?

[OGinparadise]

UK* and France would not be happy. Poland especially, but they are between two historical enemies and can't really resist either of them militarily. But the Germans know their history, they lost twice and a third one might be fatal for "Germany".

*Thatcher was against reunification, IIRC.

[handrake]

Well, that's sort of my point. Some Japaneses don't seem to know or care about their history. We keep hearing how their government is systematically trying to avoid mentioning what really happened back then internally through their so-called 'history textbook reform' and externally by denying war crimes which even their past government had accepted as facts.