Quote:
Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes. 2) In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.
The US has pretty much unilaterally provided for the defense of Japan since the end of the war. And the Japanese haven't complained at all, because that frees up billions of yen that the government uses for industrial subsidies. It's not that we're stupid.... well, maybe we are..... but it isn't totally unreasonable because it allows us to keep a close eye on what's going on over there. You know the old saying, "Keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer?"