External threats and Japan's defense policy. The changed made by the Abe administration

The Japanese defence policy is a special case study because of the limitations imposed after World War 2 on this Asian country. These limitations, detailed in article 9 of the national constitution, are still valid; however, they have been reinterpreted iso as to widen Japan's defensive capabilities. The most important changes have been introduced by current Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, and they will be analyzed following the ideas of neoclassical realism so as to support the hypothesis that these changes respond to perceived threats from China and North Korea, and also to the U.S. pressure on Japanese government.