Nigel Dodds – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-07-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of recent changes in Japan’s constitution and its defence doctrine.

Mr Hugo Swire

The UK welcomes a more active role for Japan on international peace and security. These reforms, based on a reinterpretation of Japan’s constitution, will allow it to make a greater contribution to international peace and security, including through exercising its right under the UN Charter to collective self-defence. We have worked well with Japan in difficult security environments overseas and we welcome the prospect of greater practical cooperation in these areas.