Military history of Japan maintains a powerful defense force today, its Constitution, originally drawn under the guidelines of General Douglas MacArthur in 1945, formally renounces war and the use of military force in aggressive ways. Japan also maintains a policy against the exporting of military hardware. In September 2015, the Liberal Democratic Party under the leadership of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, reinterpreted the Constitution, allowing Japan to use military force in assistance of its allies. The legality of these changes has been questioned by many academics and citizens. From 1867, Japan requested various Western military missions in order to help Japan to modernize its
Genki Abe reappointed to the same position in 1940. In 1941, Abe became Deputy Director of the Cabinet Planning Board. In 1945, towards the closing stages of World War II, Abe was made Home Minister under the Suzuki Kantarō administration and President of the Cabinet Planning Board. He was critical of Japan’s lack of adequate air raid shelters, which he asserted was due to the government’s fear of public reaction and concerns that this would interfere with war production. He was also outspoken in his opposition to acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration, one of the conditions imposed on the surrender of Japan,