Japan takes issue with Time's headline for Kishida interview

The Japanese government is complaining because the headline reflects the reality instead of what they wanted to present.

The media knows precisely that most people never get passed the headline.

Comedy gold made even more ironic as it's the LDP propaganda spigot Kyodo that's telling the story.

When the government mouthpiece complains and claims A is being inaccurately portrayed as B, you can be doubly sure it is in fact B.

Time Magazine got it wrong. Until Japan, if ever, deletes the First Paragraph of Articlle 9, Japan will remain as the only country that makes starting wars illegal. That is what Japan's "Pacifism" is about. Increasing defence capability is not abandoning that.

So now Time Magazine bends down to state censorship. What is this? China?

Pretty much. That's what Abe's legacy is.

""The online version of the article, released before the magazine's print edition hits shelves Friday, initially bore the headline "Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is turning a once pacifist Japan into a military power." In response to Tokyo's pushback, Time posted a revised headline reading that Kishida "is giving a once pacifist Japan a more assertive role on the global stage.""

"turning a once pacifist Japan into a military power."

"giving a once pacifist Japan a more assertive role on the global stage."

Any way you describe or title it it it reads the same, you can't be assertive without backing it with military muscles.

Japan is a  military power and a good one.

People barking at Japan's door when it comes to Nuclear disarmament, it's not only absurd, but ridiculous in nature! Japan has no Nuclear Weapons! 0.00%, none. Koreans are the ones owning them, North Korea, and South Korea is the one obsessed with owning one too.

You want Nuclear Disarmament?? Talk to aggressive Russia or China, USA. Those are the big boys on the block. Japan is not part of the Nuclear club.

The only country who understands best the results, and consequences of Nuclear Weapons is Japan!......Is like telling Jewish people Genocide was Bad. They know that already!

To become a military power requires no formal "deleting" of the first paragraph of Article 9. Amending the Constitution and boosting military power are two separate issues. De jure and de facto. Time magazine is right in its observation, and it's one that is not hard to make. The amount of money spent and the increase in budget support the Time magazine's apt headline.

The title rings pretty true to me - simplistic but basically true.

That's why millions of Japanese citizens oppose a change to the constitution.

And if the article highlights Kishida's will to work for nuclear disarmament, esp because his hometown is Hiroshima and some of his relatives died, then he needs to embrace wholeheartedly the TPNW - Total Prohibition on Nuclear Weapons.

Anything else is having your cake and eating it too.

I'm surprised the title is the only thing they are complaining about. They exposed the impossibility of Japan to ever advance. Once again talk of floppy disks, low wages, overtime, dying populations, under staffing... Crazy how only one of the truths needs to be censored.

In response to Tokyo's pushback, Time posted a revised headline reading that Kishida "is giving a once pacifist Japan a more assertive role on the global stage."

What about freedom of the press? This is the second time Japan is censoring foreign media. The same happened when Ukraine posted a video depicting WW2 Japan as fascist. We all know that PRC and Russia is censoring media, but Japan should be better than that!

Fine line between legitimate military deterrence and abandoning pacifism. Both are wanted and needed!

Nobody in their right mind wants to pick fight in age of WMD's and unchecked Russian weapons proliferation due to US NATO Ukraine Proxy War.

Grave Risk is how to deter non state actors, with ties to less than friendly neighbors like Mercenary Groups!?

The fact that the right-wing government, non-government, and corporate forces in the United States are so keen to promote neo-accelerationism is one of the results of the inability and lack of effectiveness of the left.

Original headline "Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is turning a once pacifist Japan into a military power" had explained present undemocratic and military-first LDP politics clearly than "Kishida is giving a once pacifist Japan a more assertive role on the global stage." Not only mainstream media of Japan, even overseas media yielded political pressure unfortunately.

Foreign media coverage of Japan really messes with the Japanes psyche. The New York Times lists Morioka of all places as a must visit destination and Japanese gobble it up and make plans to visit Iwate.

Label it what you like. Calling Japan a major military power when all focus is on defense is a bit silly. Of course Japan allows American military bases on its soil to give it a punch. True military powers wouldn't need that.

Time Magazine says: "[It] initially bore the headline 'Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is turning a once pacifist Japan into a military power.' In response to Tokyo's pushback, Time posted a revised headline reading that Kishida 'is giving a once pacifist Japan a more assertive role on the global stage.'"

In both cases Time refers to "a once pacifist Japan into a military power" and then in the revised headline "reading that Kishida 'is giving a once pacifist Japan a more assertive role on the globe stage." Time Magazine's revision is frosting. Time Magazine is being presumptuous, to be polite. There no evidence that Japan not a pacifist country. Japan not gone with anyone since 1945. That is well enough to classify it "pacifist" country. Time Magazine owe Japan an apology.

If Japan does go to war, then, of course, we cannot call it a pacifist country any more.

Oh drat those awful typos! The sentence should read: "There is no evidence that Japan is not a pacifist country. Japan has not gone to war with anyone since 1945.

Of course Japan allows American military bases on its soil to give it a punch. True military powers wouldn't need that.

Well your words might make sense if it was indeed the case that Japan allows American bases on its soil of its own volition.

Not so wise, as only now it really has drawn attention. Shouldn’t have said anything, so only part of the few buyers , the very attentive headline readers of that newsmagazine would have read it.

From what I understand, people are upset with the “Japan’s choice” part of the headline, which might give the false impression that the majority of Japanese people support increased military spending and assertiveness.

One would have to be optimistic to expect Time magazine to convey the nuances of what the Japanese government is trying to convey.

Speaking for myself only, I find it encouraging that the Japanese people are giving so much thoughtful consideration to how they want, and need, to interact on the world stage. The actions of Kim, Xi, and Putin are forcing a re-evaluation of what Japanese policy needs to be in order to survive on the current world stage.

Forget the headline, how is the article? Has anyone read it?

I like the first title. Are they afraid of upsetting China or something? Japan needs stronger leadership.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is turning a once pacifist Japan into a military power." In response to Tokyo's pushback, Time posted a revised headline reading that Kishida "is giving a once pacifist Japan a more assertive role on the global stage."

He should "take issue" with those headlines.

He won't do or hasn't done either.

All he has done is blown smoke up our behinds and wasted all of our tax money.

The headline really should say "kishida........waste of time."

In a previous week, Time magazine selected Fumio Kishida as one of the one-hundred most influential persons in the world, citing the reasons for it that he addressed the hitherto cold Japan-S Korea relations and also that he increased Japan's defense budget twice as much along the lines Washington has long been urging.

On another thread, I criticized Kishida's selection by Time, asking if the weekly magazine and the U.S. government were all part of the same gang, encouraging Japan to rearm itself and be remilitarized in sheer violation of its pacifist constitution.

Is Time magazine's change of stance toward Kishida the result of criticism such as this?

The wolf in sheep’s clothing?

Under Kishida the amount of military spending is unsurpassed

The constant jet setting for (war) allies is extremely apparent

Being a prominent Nippon Kaigi member means a revisionary viewpoint is the norm

Article 9 revision is the task which Kishida wants to finish despite the majority of the Japanese people being against it

Japan is gearing up for war under Kishida-plain as day