More generals, less pacific: Japan’s new defence policy
The Intelligence from The Economist
The Economist
4.5 • 3.7K Ratings
🗓️ 16 December 2022
⏱️ ? minutes
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Summary
A strategy approved today peels back some of the country’s constitutional pacifism; in large part that is because of its tense relationship with a hawkish China. Despite some promising reforms, violence against women remains rampant in India. And our obituaries editor looks back on the life of Britain’s last surviving Dambuster.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello and welcome to the Intelligence from the Economist. |
| 0:06.7 | In New York, I'm John Fassman. |
| 0:09.2 | And in London, I'm Jason Palmer. |
| 0:11.4 | Every weekday, we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world. |
| 0:18.9 | A decade ago, the rape and murder of a young woman let reforms aimed at making India |
| 0:24.0 | safer for women. |
| 0:25.7 | The more recent killing of another young woman in Mumbai is a reminder of how rampant domestic |
| 0:30.7 | abuse there remains. |
| 0:34.3 | And Johnny Johnson was the last surviving member of the famed Dan Busters, the British squadron |
| 0:40.0 | who's daring bombing raids destroyed two huge German dams in 1943. |
| 0:45.9 | Our obituaries editor reflects on an unexpected hero of the Second World War. |
| 0:53.0 | First up though. |
| 1:04.2 | Outside the office of Japan's Prime Minister today, protest. |
| 1:17.9 | Many of those taking part were elderly. |
| 1:20.4 | They were around, back when Japan's post-war constitution framed around pacifism was first |
| 1:25.6 | drafted. |
| 1:26.6 | Outlining the results of his occupation policy to date and guiding Japan into the ways of democracy, |
| 1:31.9 | MacArthur makes a solemn plea to all nations to follow Japan's example in forever renouncing |
| 1:37.2 | war. |
| 1:40.3 | Today's suitably peaceful rally was against a new set of measures that seemed to run counter |
| 1:45.0 | to that cornerstone of Japan's defense policy since then. |
| 1:49.2 | The constitution renounces war as a country's sovereign right. |
... |
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