There is increasing political and public support in Japan for counterstrike capabilities as a deterrent. But there’s a misleading perception that oversimplifies the issue, says political scientist Yasuo Takao. PERTH: Eighty years after World War II ended and forced its pacifist identity, Japan now finds itself in the middle of a volatile security environment. Against the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and intensifying US–China rivalry, there’s a sense of unease that the