ABSTRACT
Despite the clear constitutional ban on maintaining a military, Japan has institutionalised a de facto military since the 1950s – the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. Recently, the JSDF has increased its engagement with the Japanese public via recruitment campaigns that utilise famous celebrities, as well as the creation a comic book series like Gate and Aozakura. In 2014, Prime Minister Abe’s cabinet approved a reinterpretation of Article 9 that greatly broadened the circumstances under which the JSDF could utilise military force. Hall’s chapter examines popular cultural depictions of the JSDF since the 2014 reinterpretation of Article 9 and suggests that these works, while not overt political propaganda, tell stories that depict a Japanese conservative/neo-nationalist ideal of the JSDF.
