Japan is moving away from decades of pacifism to strengthen its armed forces with an elite commando unit, aircraft carriers and spy satellites.
The wide-ranging rethink has been spurred by a series of declarations from its Stalinist neighbour, North Korea, which has made plain its determination to acquire nuclear weapons and the missiles to deliver them.
The escalating crisis has already caused Japan to promise pre-emptive air raids if it feels threatened, and analysts have begun publicly to discuss the ultimate taboo, the acquisition of atomic weapons.
Colin Joyce Telegraph UK 9.08.03
