Japan is a country with very few natural resources, yet it stands among the wealthiest nations in the world. Governed by law and a constitution, Japan does not have an official standing army for its defense. However, it maintains self-defense forces that rival the most advanced military forces globally.
Japan is an archipelago of isolated islands in the Pacific Ocean, located near the eastern coast of Asia. Despite being composed of nearly 7,000 islands, the population is primarily concentrated on just four of them.
These four main islands account for approximately 89% of Japan's total land area. However, the majority of the country consists of rugged terrain and mountains, with habitable land making up no more than 20% of the total area. Japan itself covers around 378,000 square kilometers, making it a relatively small country.
Additionally, Japan is geographically located within the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the most seismically active and dangerous regions on Earth. This area is responsible for 90% of the world's earthquakes and over 75% of its volcanic activity.
Despite these challenging conditions, Japan's geographical adversity has played a crucial role in shaping a resilient and determined population unafraid of danger. In fact, the country's location has historically provided a natural barrier, offering a degree of isolation and protection from invaders and external threats.
Reasons why Japan does not have an army
Japan is naturally protected by geographical barriers that made any invading army especially in ancient times think multiple times before attempting to sail and reach its shores. Even if an army did manage to land on Japanese soil, it would be met by a highly trained and battle-ready population prepared to defend their homeland.
The country's terrain is predominantly mountainous and largely devoid of natural resources, which historically made attempts to conquer Japan unsuccessful. Even the Mongols, at the height of their power when they had nearly conquered the entire world, failed to launch successful invasions of Japan.
As a natural consequence of these circumstances, Japan became the aggressor rather than the target of invasions. Over generations, the Japanese developed a warrior mindset that sought dominance over others, while their emperor was revered as a god-like figure.
With advancements in weaponry and naval fleets, Japan began expanding its empire by occupying neighboring territories, starting with the annexation of the Korean Peninsula in 1910. From there, Japan systematically took control of uninhabited islands or those with weak military defenses. Encouraged by these victories, Japan launched a punitive campaign against the Mongols, the descendants of Genghis Khan, and even raided territories under the Russian Empire.
As Japan's expansion continued, the League of Nations objected to its aggressive actions. In response, Japan withdrew from the League and proceeded with its conquest, seizing Manchuria in China in 1931.
With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, Japan resumed its expansionist campaigns, targeting Hong Kong, additional regions of China, Burma, parts of Thailand, the Dutch East Indies, and the Philippines.
Japanese forces even pushed their invasions toward the borders of Australia, contemplating its annexation. However, they encountered fierce resistance from the Australian army, which was backed by the British Empire and India. This resistance significantly slowed Japan’s military advances.
Despite this setback, Japan was not overly concerned, as it needed to consolidate control over its vast occupied territories. Japanese generals at the time considered pausing expansion efforts to reorganize and strengthen their forces before resuming their conquests. However, these plans were disrupted by the actions of the Vichy French government.
The Vichy regime allowed Japanese forces to use French-controlled territories in Asia as military bases, which posed a serious threat to American colonies in the Philippines. In response, the United States issued a warning to Japan and imposed an oil embargo, cutting off crucial petroleum supplies.
Realizing that its strategic oil reserves would soon be depleted, Japan saw only one viable solution—seizing key oil-producing regions. This led to plans to take control of oil-rich territories in Indonesia (then a Dutch colony), Malaysia (a British colony), and the Philippines (an American colony).
In the eyes of Japanese military leaders, seizing oil from these colonies and transporting it back to Japan would be nearly impossible without encountering British and American naval forces stationed at key military bases. At the time, the British Royal Navy was the most powerful naval force in the world, and Japan’s relations with the United States had already deteriorated due to the U.S. oil embargo.
Faced with this challenge, Japan decided to launch a preemptive strike on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor while simultaneously deploying forces to disrupt British defenses and prevent their intervention. Meanwhile, the rest of Japan’s military would advance toward the oil-rich colonies. This strategy was put into motion under what became known as "Operation Octopus".
The operation was designed to spread Japan’s forces like the tentacles of an octopus, striking multiple targets simultaneously. On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Navy launched its attack, hitting Pearl Harbor and other strategic locations with precision.
Although the attack on Pearl Harbor was a success and was masterminded by Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the admiral himself was opposed to the operation. He believed that while Japan could achieve short-term victories, it would ultimately struggle to maintain them due to a lack of long-term logistical and strategic resources.
After recovering from the devastating blow in the early months of the war, the United States sought to compensate for its losses and launch a counteroffensive. At the time, the U.S. was not a top-tier military power, but it was a scientific and economic giant. When the need arose to become a military superpower, it did so with remarkable speed.
This was in stark contrast to Japan, which relied heavily on the bravery and strength of its warriors rather than scientific and technological advancements. As a result, the U.S. leveraged its technological superiority to gain the upper hand. One of its first major breakthroughs was its ability to crack Japanese military codes, allowing it to anticipate Japanese movements while launching surprise attacks of its own.
The U.S. Air Force vastly outmatched Japan’s, and despite the courage of Japanese soldiers, their valor alone was not enough to stop the relentless American assaults. The U.S. forces continued their island-hopping campaign, systematically reclaiming territories in the Pacific until they pushed the battle to Japan’s own islands.
Despite facing immense pressure, Japanese soldiers refused to surrender. Then, in May 1945, a major turning point occurred—Nazi Germany officially surrendered, leaving Japan to fight the war alone.
On August 6, 1945, U.S. President Harry Truman authorized the use of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. After witnessing its catastrophic impact, the U.S. issued an ultimatum demanding Japan’s immediate and unconditional surrender, warning that another atomic bomb would follow if Japan refused.
However, Japan remained defiant. As a result, on August 9, 1945, the U.S. dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki. Even after the devastating attacks and ongoing American threats, Japan still refused to surrender—until the U.S. agreed to allow Emperor Hirohito to remain in power, along with his government.
On August 15, 1945, Japan officially agreed to surrender under these conditions. The final surrender document was signed on September 9, 1945.
One of the most astonishing aspects of this surrender was that it was initiated by the Emperor himself. The Japanese people were not collectively relieved by the war’s end; in fact, many groups rebelled against the Emperor, refusing to accept defeat and continuing to fight despite Japan’s official surrender.
It became clear that leaving a nation like Japan with a standing army and combat forces after the war would not have been wise. Instead, the Japanese government redirected the energy and determination of its people toward reconstruction, science, and technological advancement.
Over time, the Japanese came to realize that knowledge and technology provide the same boldness and strength as military might. Embracing this philosophy, they chose a new path—one driven by innovation and progress, which ultimately transformed Japan into a global leader in science, industry, and technology.
Why doesn't Japan have an army?
As a result, the Japanese Parliament and the U.S. government reached an agreement to demilitarize Japan, leaving its national defense in the hands of the United States military. In return, the U.S. committed to providing Japan with scientific expertise and technical knowledge, laying the foundation for the country’s new path.
The Japanese people quickly proved their resilience, achieving an economic miracle that stunned the world. Japanese students even began surpassing American professors in various fields of study, showcasing their dedication to excellence.
As time passed and global confidence in Japan’s new, pacifist approach grew, the country was gradually allowed to establish self-defense forces under the guise of an extension of its local police force. These forces became known as the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF).
Over the years, Japan's defense capabilities expanded significantly, equipping all military branches with advanced weaponry. Today, Japan’s military strength is so formidable that, according to Global Firepower rankings, it is currently ranked fifth in the world.