February 25, 2026

JAPAN Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's plan to rearm in a big way is set to revive historical trauma, not reassurance in parts of Southeast Asia.

Although a strong Japan does not automatically signal renewed aggression, in a geopolitically volatile region, perceptions shaped by history and optics often matter.

A Takaichi-led military hard power to reclaim nationalist credentials and reviving its failed Imperial past risks squandering its soft power strategic capital.

Read more:

https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2026/02/1385000/japans-military-build-reopens-old-wounds