His Holiness Pope Francis once remarked, “The modern world is a world of a dispersed Third World War.” Observing the current global situation, one cannot help but agree. February 24 marked the fourth year since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and, furthermore, the situation in the Gaza Strip of Palestine shows no sign of resolution. Beyond these, conflicts and wars are erupting all over the world.
Peace through Force?
The military attack on Iran by the United States and Israel (February 28) was clearly a “violation of international law.” Under the UN Charter, a state may resort to war only for purposes of self-defense, or with the authorization of the UN Security Council. The International Association of Democratic Lawyers, which is composed of legal professionals from various nations, issued a statement declaring the attack a “violation of international law.” And the American Society of International Law also issued a statement on March 2, affirming the fact that the attack violated both the UN Charter and US domestic law. The US and Israel were not actually under attack, and neither were they under any imminent threat. Moreover, issues within Iran, such as the suppression of human rights, do not justify an attack on the nation.
President Trump cited Iran’s nuclear development as a reason for the attack. Yet Iran had shown a readiness to compromise during the ongoing nuclear negotiations. What’s more, it was the first Trump administration that had unilaterally withdrawn from the “nuclear deal,” the agreement between Iran and the six nations (US, UK, France, China, Russia, and Germany) that was aimed at restricting Iran’s nuclear development. This is a president who declares, “I don’t need international law.”
Of course, this does not mean to say that Iran is blameless. Iran has continued retaliatory attacks using ballistic missiles and drones, and the fighting has expanded to include Middle Eastern nations that are pro-US. Iran’s attacks have targeted civilian facilities, including energy-related sites like oil facilities and diplomatic facilities. These, in turn, have resulted in civilian casualties, which constitutes a significant issue. Furthermore, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for crude oil shipments, has triggered off a range of problems.
Japan’s Reality
“Japan cannot view the world except through the United States.” This is a sentiment one often hears. The fact that Japan’s relationship to the US is in effect colonial, is evident from the Japan Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). A concrete sign of this is the issue of the US military bases and facilities in Japan.
There are roughly 130 U.S. military bases in Japan (as of January 1, 2025). Of these, 76 to 78 (including 31 in Okinawa Prefecture) are “exclusive facilities and areas” that are directly managed by the U.S. military, while the rest are jointly used along with the Self-Defense Forces. About 70% of these exclusive facilities are concentrated in the Okinawa Prefecture (which accounts for about 0.6% of Japan’s total land area), consequently imposing a significant burden on the nation. Within Tokyo itself, there are seven U.S. military bases, and in the nearby vicinities lie the Yokota Air Base, Atsugi Air Base, and the U.S. Naval Base of Yokosuka. This makes us wonder as to whether there is any other capital city in the world surrounded by so many foreign bases.
On October 28 of last year, visiting President Trump and the current Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, went to the U.S. Naval Base in Yokosuka. There, the Prime Minister was seen smiling and bouncing around the deck of the U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, George Washington. One wonders as to what exactly that signified.
The government is considering a revision of operational guidelines, for the “Three Principles on Defense Equipment Transfer.” The aim is twofold: First, to provide weapons and strengthen cooperation with nations aiming to deter China, and second, to bolster Japan’s domestic defense industry. What this seeks to achieve is a shift from “avoidance of provoking international disputes” based on the Peace Constitution to “peace through force.” This is nothing but proof of the lack of diplomatic effort. What matters is building trust through diplomatic efforts, thereby preventing war before it starts.
However, the closer cooperation with foreign militaries gets through the export of arms, the greater grows also the risk that the Self-Defense Forces will get involved in distant conflicts, in places far from Japan. Concerns also remain that strengthening defense capabilities could trigger a “security dilemma,” accelerating regional arms races.
This represents a major departure from postwar Japan’s stance of establishing the “Three Principles on Arms Exports,” effectively maintaining an arms embargo. In 1976, the current Foreign Minister, Kiichi Miyazawa, (who later became Prime Minister), affirmed: “Our country has not sunk so low as to earn money by exporting weapons.” He further added, “As a nation with high ideals, we should continue to uphold this principle.”
The ruling coalition parties, the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party, proposed to Prime Minister Takaichi that the rules for exporting defense equipment be relaxed. This aims to remove the brakes on exports of lethal weapons and achieve a total lifting of the ban. A full lifting of the ban could shake the very foundations of Japan as a peaceful nation. It represents a major shift in security policy, transforming Japan into a nation that profits from arms exports. The biggest problem with this proposal is that it does not require Diet approval or involvement for the export of arms, leaving that issue entirely to the discretion of the administration.
There are also virtually no firm restrictions regarding nations to which exports can be made. The proposal limits export destinations to nations that have concluded a “Defense Equipment and Technology Transfer Agreement” with Japan, with reference to issues like secrecy protection (currently 17 nations). No Diet approval is required for concluding such agreements. While exports to nations involved in conflicts are generally prohibited, they would be permitted however under “special circumstances.”
Peace Be with You.
True peace consists in each individual life being cherished as something unique. We all, without exception, are called to that peace. Peace is, at its core, a gift bestowed as grace; yet, it is also something we need to constantly build.
True peace is not merely the absence of conflict; neither is it a precarious balance of power, nor the rule of a dictator. It has a much more active significance. Jesus used the words, “Peace be with you” (Jn 20:19, 21, 26). Here, the “peace” spoken of by Jesus is a greeting exchanged in daily life, and yet, it also signifies the presence of God. The Prophet Isaiah declared, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine” (Is 43:1-2). These words reveal the unchanging heart of God and His promise–past, present, and forever. True peace springs from this.
The Imitation of Christ, written in the 15th century, and often called the “Second Gospel,” offers us many insights.
First, keep yourself in peace and then you will be able to bring others to peace. The peaceable man does more good than one who is very learned. The passionate man turns even good to evil, and readily believes evil. The good, peaceable man turns all things to good.
He who is in perfect peace suspects no man. But he who is discontented and disturbed is agitated by various suspicions; he neither has rest himself, nor does he permit others to rest. Many times, he says what he should not say, and leaves undone that which was best for him to do. He considers what others ought to do, and neglects that which he is bound to do. Have, therefore, a zeal in the first place over yourself, and then may you justly exercise zeal towards your neighbor (II, 3, 1).
Augustine defines peace as tranquillitas ordinis, the “tranquility of order.” It is said that Mother Teresa would give notes to people she met during her lifetime, and it is reported that those notes contained the following words: “The fruit of silence is prayer; the fruit of prayer is faith; the fruit of faith is love; the fruit of love is service; the fruit of service is peace.”