Fumio Kishida Photo:AFP

 
The Japanese government reportedly initiated discussions on updating its national security strategy on Wednesday, with the main focus on whether the country will acquire the ability to attack enemy bases in efforts to elevate its deterrence against the so-called threats from North Korea and China, which Chinese analysts viewed on Thursday as a very disturbing signal showing Tokyo's constant attempt toward its wild ambition of getting rid of the limits on its pacifist constitution.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida indicated a willingness to allow the country to possess enemy-base attack capability. "We will not rule out any options and will consider the matter from a realistic viewpoint," he told a parliamentary meeting Wednesday. 

The government plans to adopt updates to its National Security Strategy, National Defense Program Guidelines and Medium-Term Defense Program later this year, the report said.

It has been proven that Japan has already and will continue to push the boundaries of its constitutional limits, while using US' urgent need to contain China in the region to  achieve the goals of boosting its own military strength, Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations of the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Thursday. 

Japan's Kyodo News said Wednesday that possessing such a strike capability would be a turning point for the country's post-war security policy. The report claimed that what is behind this push for a national security strategy update is the steady advancement of North Korea and China's weaponry such as hypersonic missiles. 

Japan needs the US' approval to reach such a turning point, which the US is likely to allow as Washington wishes to elevate the security function of its ally in the region to contain its "principal foe" China, at least creating chaos in the region, said Song Zhongping, a military expert and TV commentator.

Song told the Global Times on Thursday that the US-Japan alliance is very proactive in nature, posing threats to the neighboring countries, especially China.

Japan's Nikkei Asia reported Wednesday, that while considering acquiring an enemy base strike capability, Kishida told parliament that Japan does not seek the ability to wage "full-scale war," while vowing to stay within constitutional limits.

Song said Kishida is either too naive to believe so or simply lying, as either North Korea or China will definitely strike back at the Japanese homeland if their military bases were attacked first by Japan.

Kishida previously said during a troop review at Camp Asaka near Tokyo in November 2021 that the option for Self-Defense Forces to strike at hostile enemy bases would be considered when Japan revises its foreign and security policies, which soon met with critics saying it violates the country's pacifist constitution.

Critics said the enemy base strike capability violates Article 9 of the Japanese constitution that was imposed on Tokyo after the end of WWII, which renounces war to settle international disputes and prohibits maintaining an armed force except for defensive purposes, the UPI reported.