Killing of Japanese hostage gives Tokyo excuse to ‘join overseas military operations’

The execution of a Japanese hostage by Islamic State militants in the Middle East will give Japan’s government an “excuse” to change its defence policy and allow its troops to take part in military operations overseas, according to an editorial in a state-run newspaper in China.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will “face fewer domestic hurdles now if he decides to co-operate with the US strategic deployment and strengthen Japan’s military activities in the Middle East and its security deployment in East Asia”, said the opinion piece in the Global Times, which is affiliated to the Communist Party mouthpiece the People’s Daily.

Haruna Yukawa, one of two Japanese hostages held by the Islamic militant group, is thought to have been executed by Islamic State, who had earlier demanded US$200 million for the pair’s release.

Japan’s use of its military forces is limited to self-defence under the country’s pacifist constitution introduced after the second world war, but Abe has signalled that he wants to lift some of the restraints which he views as unfair.

The Global Times said that now Japanese citizens had fallen victim to terrorism, Tokyo should also reassess the challenges it faces around the globe instead of simply portraying China as its major threat and “deferring to the US”.

The newspaper said it strongly condemned the brutal killing of the Japanese hostage, but also hoped the Japanese public would take a “clear-cut stance” on any terrorist attacks in China.