Not in a classic sense (apart from maybe the occupation of Okinawa). Rather, Japan is neoimperialist; it prefers soft power and pretensions to independence over the naked conquest that the Empire of Japan committed (and would be difficult to reproduce today).

Stevens (1990) argues that Japan is seen to assert a form of neo-imperialism over East Asia and other regions by locking developing states into a relationship of direct economic subordination and into new regional frameworks geared to reinforce Japanese dominance. Critical theory has viewed Japan as asserting its potential hegemony not only through economic ties but also more subtly through creating ideological parameters and international institutions (Cox 1987).

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Japan’s military expansion fits in with Washington’s aggression aimed at China, the DPRK and Russia. U.S. strategists’ goal is to use the U.S. alliance with Japan, South Korea and Australia, just as it uses the U.S.-led NATO alliance in Europe.

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A chain of 150 islands called the Ryukyu Archipelago, of which the largest island is Okinawa, 400 miles from the Japanese mainland, is in reality a colony of Japan. Its population of 1.74 million people suffers from Tokyo’s rule and from the occupation by U.S. military bases. Okinawa is geographically closer to Taiwan than it is to the main islands of Japan.

Upgrading and strengthening Japanese ground units on Okinawa is part of the new National Security Strategy (NSS). Other islands, which are part of the chain southwest of Japan, will be further militarized.

Upgrading of Japan’s 15th Brigade on these islands for future electronic warfare, cyber warfare and joint operations of the ground, maritime and air forces are clearly a sign of plans to intervene in the Taiwan Straits.

In recent years, Japan has deployed anti-ship and air-defense missiles on its southwest islands of Amami Oshima, Okinawa Main Island, Miyako Island and a missile base on Ishigaki Island, the island closest to Taiwan.

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