It could also very easily spin out of control and increase instability in Asia.

Both of the above are true. China is getting more aggressive about control of the oceans near, and not so near, China. China has a territorial dispute with Japan over the islands south of Kyushu and northeast of Taiwan. China is also claiming some islands further south, in the South China Sea, but that disagreement is with Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

China's military parade last week was very anti-Japan. Of course, Japan did invade China during WWII. That's not being forgotten by the current leaders of China. China made a big point of their land-based anti-ship missiles, which were featured prominently in the parade.

i wonder if there is any significance they chose september 18th to re-militarize overseas action, being thats the date japan invaded china in 1931.

all else aside on the territorial disputes, i feel abe and his associates continually look past their genocides and atrocities in WWII, continually going to war memorials and celebrations of these same japanese that attacked US and committed the acts during WWII.

so china leaders definitely have a reason to hold a grudge and not forget.

> Japan did invade China during WWII.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Sino-Japanese_War

Started well before (1937) and ended a month later, to be precise.

The biggest annoyance to the Japanese at the moment is the number of Chinese tourists overrunning everywhere.

It's easy to read the newspapers about the govts of the world rattling their sabres at one another; what the people actually feel is often quite different.

Japan's military is disadvantaged by a lack of personnel with combat experience. The change permits japanese soldiers to participate as an equal partner with its allies, and to remedy its experience defecit.

It's an escalation, not sure how that's good.

What are the actual Japanese military capabilities?

Japan still has the strongest navy in East Asia, though China will surpass them soon. Don't be fooled because they call it a maritime self defense force.

Japan's buying the F35 from the US and also recently started its own fighter jet development program, so whatever their capabilities currently are, they're increasing.

The F35 is a heap of junk for which the US is using all it's "allies" to fund and carry the burden. At least we now all have diminished capabilities not just the US. Win Win.

The F-35 JSF has problems, and I'll be the first to be critical, but it is not a "heap of junk." It's a tremendously capable fifth-generation air superiority fighter that can also serve in CAS, bomber, and ELINT roles.

Its tremendous versatility is one of the main reasons it became so expensive and difficult to develop: jack of all trades, master of none.

(citation needed) Really, several citations at least considering how broad and blanketing that statement is.

Looks like you know what you are talking about.

Doubt it, everyone's food to kaiju