"The security situation surrounding us has become harsher," Abe told a panel of advisers who opened discussions on easing Japan's ban on collective self-defense, or defending allies such as U.S. forces when they come under attack.
Citing threats from North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, international terrorism and regional conflicts, Abe said: "It is my responsibility as prime minister to create a more effective framework to deal with this."
This is often called becoming a "normal" country (with the right to defend itself as any nation has despite the post-World War II constitution we wrote for Japan than limits that normal right).
North Korea, jihadis, and Taiwan are the threats, to be clear about what Abe is talking about. The Japanese see the need to cooperate with us over the issues that we see. Not too shabby for a cowboy diplomacy that has supposedly alienated the world. But objectively, we have plenty of friends abroad.
The threats we face are not imaginary no matter how much our Left insists this is so. It is normal to want to defend against them.
