Japan's military shift is 'what an ally should naturally do', defence minister says
Defence minister receives warm reception from US counterpart, who calls reinterpretation of constitution 'bold, historic, landmark decision'
Japan's new policy on military action would allow its forces to come to the aid of a US naval ship under attack, Tokyo's defence minister said.
In a visit to Washington, Itsunori Onodera cited the hypothetical scenario as he sought to explain the Japanese government's recent controversial decision to ease restrictions on the country's military imposed after the second world war.
If US warships were sent to defend Japan, and those ships were attacked, currently the Japanese "constitution was interpreted to say we could not help that ship", Onodera told an audience at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank.
But taking action to assist an ally was "what an ally should naturally do", he said through an interpreter. "That's how this change in policy should be understood."
Onodera said the change approved by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet on July 1 would bolster Tokyo's alliance with the United States, opening the way to new forms of military co-operation between the two allies.
"We believe this will dramatically deepen our ties with the United States," Onodera said.