Photo: Xinhua

Seventy-five years ago, Japan was defeated in World War II and was hence "completely disarmed and demilitarized." Since then, the US has been using Japan's pacifist constitution to control the island nation.

The pacifist constitution was originally intended to allow other countries to keep track of Japan and put an end to its ambition of aggression. This is indeed reasonable. However, for the US the pacifist constitution is used to assert its hegemony. In fact, Japan contributed a lot to the US during the Korean War (1950-53) and the Vietnam War (1955-75). When it came to the Gulf War (1990-91), Japan even provided financial support in addition to military assistance.

To implement its global strategy, the US needs a follower. And Japan has both the economic and technological strength, and military ambition too, to support the US as a strategic partner. 

In the short term, Japan needs something from the US too: To get rid of its pacifist constitution. In so doing, Japan will follow the US' global strategy in order to realize its own. The US, while retraining Japan's military ambition, is in the meantime transforming Japan into a qualified ally by making Japan a "sixth" eye in the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance. 

For such a scenario, Japan will reshape itself. This includes turning the Self-Defense Forces into national defense forces and applying structural reforms to military mechanisms in accordance with demands of the US military.

The US will use Japan as a key force to contain China and Russia in the Asia-Pacific region. Such a game indeed puts Japan in an awkward position among major powers. It calls for political wisdom of Tokyo to decide whether it will side with Washington, or Beijing and Moscow, or none of them. 

Based on Japan's current military capabilities, it is quite difficult for it to realize a complete turnaround. First, the Japanese military relies heavily on the US to get core technologies for its weapons. It has no authorization to use the technologies, let alone conduct independent research for the development of weapons. 

Furthermore, turning the Self-Defense Forces into national defense forces and applying a military mechanism similar to that of the US military will deepen security exchanges between the two countries. The US will train the Japanese Self-Defense Forces and provide other services. This will, in turn, make Japan even more dependent on the US. Also, Japan has no independent combat support system in terms of reconnaissance, communication and navigation. It relies on the US for all of these. This makes it nearly impossible for Tokyo to become a military power. 

Under such circumstances, the US thus has Japan's firm loyalty. However, Japan could still make its own choice and decide indeed how close it will stay with the US and how far it will stand against China - or whether it should really pick a side. 

Taking sides is not in Japan's interests. After all, Japan needs the Chinese market. For Japan, staying neutral might be the best choice. It can at most provide certain support in the Five Eyes alliance or military alliance. But if it stands with the US in other strategies to contain China, then it shall pay a serious price. Japan should take this matter seriously.

There is no doubt that the US hopes to turn Japan into its accomplice and make it follow the US will with total obedience. This works to US interests and is possible. But it is not 100 percent settled because Japan has its own plans. After all, Japan lies in East Asia. Most of Japan's interests are related to the entire region. China, Japan and South Korea are deeply intertwined. It is not to Tokyo's pragmatic interests to make enemies with Beijing and Moscow. 

The author is a Chinese military expert and commentator. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn