How 9/11 changed Japan’s approach to security forever
Maritime Self-Defense Force sailors bid farewell to crew aboard the minesweeper Uraga as it leaves Yokosuka naval base in November 2001 to provide logistical support in the Indian Ocean for the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan — Japan's first military deployment in a war situation since World War II. | REUTERS
Sep 11, 2026
The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks 25 years ago changed the world as we knew it — and for Japan, it was a turning point that transformed forever how the pacifist nation deals with global security challenges.
The attacks prompted changes to geographical and political constraints on Japanese security activities. They highlighted the necessity of direct leadership from the Prime Minister’s Office to drive controversial yet necessary security legislation, while reinforcing Japan’s incremental approach to changes in its defense architecture.
Meanwhile, participation in operations with coalition partners highlighted the impetus and utility of multinational security relationships.
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