Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday said his country needs a legal framework to allow members of the Self Defense Forces to engage in rescue missions for Japanese citizens who are in danger overseas.  This comes after the terrorists of Islamic state murdered two Japanese hostages a week apart.

Abe has longed pushed for a more aggressive Japan, which he believes will be an effective counter to the growing military might of China.  The Self Defense Forces (SDF) are constrained by the post-World War II constitution written by the American victors six decades ago. 

“The point is the need for a legal system so that we can protect our citizens properly,” said former Defense Minister Yuriko Koike.  “With this incident, such cases have increased and I think the debate will become more substantive.”

Supporters say such a legal framework is possible, but there are other hurdles – even though the SDF are among the world’s most technologically advances forces, Japanese troops have no experience conducting such rescue missions such as the legendary Israeli anti-terrorist commando strike at Uganda’s Entebbe Airport in 1976. 

But support for Japan’s pacifist constitution isn’t just for Left-wing parties like the Communists and Social Democrats.  Not everyone on the right – including in the Buddhist Komeito Party in the ruling coalition itself – is anxious to see Japan overextend itself.  Also, South Korea and Taiwan are more than a little uneasy over a more muscular Japan.  

And then there are the consequences for getting involved in world affairs.  In the video purporting to show the execution of hostage Kenji Goto, the black-clad terrorist known as “Jihadi John” ridiculously blamed Shinzo Abe for the fate of the hostages and vowing to “cause carnage wherever your people are found”.  Just weeks earlier, Abe visited Middle East capitals to pass out aid checks to governments fighting Islamic State.