(Financial Times) -- The Philippines would strongly support a rearmed Japan shorn of its pacifist constitution as a counterweight to the growing military assertiveness of China, according to the Philippine -foreign minister. "We would welcome that very much," Albert del Rosario told the Financial Times in an interview. "We are looking for balancing factors in the region and Japan could be a significant balancing factor." The unusual statement, which risks upsetting Beijing, reflects alarm in Manila at what it sees as Chinese provocation over the South China Sea, virtually all of which is claimed by Beijing. It also comes days before an election in Japan that could see the return as prime minister of Shinzo Abe, who is committed to revising Japan's pacifist constitution and to beefing up its military.
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The Philippines support a rearmed Japan to counterweight China's military power
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China has territorial disputes in the South China Sea with the Philippines and others
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Japan has a pacifist constitution, but this might change after the upcoming presidential election
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In July, the Philippines and Japan signed an agreement to strengthen military co-operation
The attitude towards Japanese rearmament in the Philippines, itself colonised by @placeholder, suggests regional fears of an assertive China may be beginning to trump memories of Japan's aggressive wartime actions.