WI/AHC: Get rid of Japan's Article 9

To get rid of Article 9 you need a compelling reason for the US to want a militarily aggressive Japan. The only reasonable thing I can think of is as a counter to the Soviets in the Pacific and East Asia. That would probably require a much more successful USSR in the east.
 
Have North Korea conquer the south or have Japan end up divided ala Germany.

Just have Japan on the frontlines of a communist bloc.
 

Yuelang

Banned
Or alternatively, have Imperial Japan end up successfully exploit the confusion to snatch some significant lands without triggering US invasion, and not attack US at all.

Hey, successfull Imperial Japan means no Article 9 at the first place... maybe add Nazi victory and we will all set for three way cold war...
 
Or alternatively, have Imperial Japan end up successfully exploit the confusion to snatch some significant lands without triggering US invasion, and not attack US at all.

Hey, successfull Imperial Japan means no Article 9 at the first place... maybe add Nazi victory and we will all set for three way cold war...

The would make a good TL.
 
You mean get rid of it now, or have it never put in place?

Frankly, you would need to have a substantially divergent Pacific War for Article 9 to be butterflied away. One that ended either somewhat better for Japan or one that ended worse for Japan.

If Japan had somehow managed to achieve a negotiated peace without US occupation, there would be no US occupation forces writing their constitution and no Article 9. Conceivably a Pacific War that began without a direct "sneak" attack on US territory might end with a US somewhat more likely to accept something marginally less than full victory so it can get to the real business of defeating Germany.

On the other hand, if the USSR entered the Pacific War as a US Ally in 1942-43 and was instrumental in defeating Japanese Army forces in Manchuria and North China, they could legitimately claim an occupation zone in Japan after the war. Assuming a Cold War, then the possibility is good that both sides might consider rearming its client Japanese state and not think of something as intrusive as Article 9.
 
Assuming you mean a defeated Japan and not a TL with an Empire that endures...

Well, like everyone else has said: a divided Japan. Both the USA and the USSR will arm their allies...and then, if a Berlin-Wall-like situation happens in Japan, they'll have a Bundeswehr-type military force rather than the SDF.
 
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