In recent weeks, Japan has seen some of its largest anti-war demonstrations for decades. Thousands of Japanese citizens have taken to the streets to protest against moves to amend Japan’s pacifist constitution and to oppose its involvement in international conflicts.
The protest movement has been sparked by the words and actions of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Since coming to power in October 2025, she has made clear her desire to accelerate the reversal of the country’s post-war pacifist stance, adopting a much more assertive military posture. This has been reflected in a commitment to massively increase defense spending, acquire offensive long-range cruise missiles, and ease arms export restrictions by permitting the sale of advanced weaponry to allied countries. This policy volte-face and the popular reaction against it have turned a spotlight onto Japan’s profound cultural duality, reflected so clearly in its recent and not-so-recent history.
For centuries, Japan has embodied both a fierce military tradition and also a deep reverence for harmony, compassion, and tranquility. The tension between these two diametrically opposed world views is at the heart of Japan’s current dilemma. Whether the sword or the cherry blossom will prevail will define not just Japan’s national identity but its broader geopolitical role in our polarized, volatile world.
Japan’s warrior heritage runs deep. From the samurai class that dominated feudal society to the centralized militarism of the imperial Meiji era (1868-1912) and beyond, martial values have shaped Japan’s national identity. The bushido code emphasized loyalty, honor, discipline, and readiness for death. Zen Buddhism, with its focus on mindfulness, mental clarity, and acceptance of mortality, often complemented rather than contradicted this ethos for many samurai, providing psychological tools for combat rather than promoting pacifism.
In the modern era, this tradition escalated dramatically. After the Meiji Restoration, Japan pursued fukoku kyohei (rich country, strong army), transforming the country into an aggressive imperial power. Victories in the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) and Russo-Japanese War (1904-05) fueled expansionism. By the 1930s, militarists dominated politics amid economic hardship, leading to the invasion of China and, ultimately, the cataclysm of World War II. Japanese militarism fused ultranationalism, emperor worship, and a belief that military strength defined national vitality. The war caused brutality, misery, and widespread devastation across Asia. China alone suffered more than 35 million military and civilian casualties during the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45). The war was finally brought to a grisly end by the United States’ firebombing of Japanese cities followed by the dropping of two atomic bombs in 1945. This horrific chapter in Japanese history left an indelible scar, prompting a radical postwar shift to the pacifism which has endured until the current prime minister was elected.
The right way forward for Japan is to continue as an exemplar of peaceful restraint. A renewed commitment to pacifism from the nation which once caused such devastation would both strengthen Japan’s moral authority and provide some much needed inspiration for our divided and dangerous world
The sudden shift from militarism to pacifism may have seemed dramatic in 1945, but it also reflected the other side of Japan’s longstanding cultural duality. Parallel to the warrior archetype, there has always been a countervailing current of peace and serenity. Shinto reverence for nature; Buddhist emphasis on compassion and transience; the understated elegance of the tea ceremony, flower arranging, and haiku poetry: All celebrate harmony, impermanence, and mindful tranquility. Public life in Japanese society has often prioritized quiet respect, group consensus, and the avoidance of open conflict.
This peaceful ethos was not only restored but found formal expression after 1945. Under the US-drafted 1947 Constitution, Article 9 renounced war as a sovereign right and prohibited maintaining “land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential”. Japan embraced pacifism, focusing on transforming its economy and promoting “peace education” and anti-militarism. For decades, Japan’s Self-Defense Forces operated under strict constraints as a defensive “police force” in all but name. This era produced one of the world’s most stable, prosperous, and low-crime societies, where courteous bows easily outnumber raised voices.
Japan now stands at a pivotal juncture. Global volatility has intensified, perceived threats to peace are the focus of international political rhetoric, and defense spending is rising steadily across the world. How Japan responds to these global pressures will define its future. Public opinion is divided. Many cherish Japan’s pacifist identity as both moral atonement and a driver of practical success. Others argue that true security in the 21st century requires a military capable of deterrence and alliance contributions, especially alongside the US.
The moral choice is clear. If Japan is to be a force for good in the world, its 80-year pacifist tradition needs to be preserved. Reviving militarism would be a retrograde throwback to a shameful era. It would also rekindle old enmities, destabilize the region, and make conflict more rather than less likely. The right way forward for Japan is to continue as an exemplar of peaceful restraint. A renewed commitment to pacifism from the nation which once caused such devastation would both strengthen Japan’s moral authority and provide some much needed inspiration for our divided and dangerous world.
The author is a British historian and former principal of Sha Tin College, an international secondary school in Hong Kong.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
