Germany and Japan once threatened democracy. Now they're saving it
It’s one of the most remarkable transformations of our time. Japan and Germany are emerging from three-quarters of a century as pacifist nations to become fully armed and active.
Not that they’ve wanted to. They’ve been enjoying a very comfortable existence to now.
After their WWII fascist regimes failed and fell, they were content to allow the US to provide their defence overwatch while they concentrated on building two of the most prosperous and successful liberal democracies on earth.
Germany today is the world’s third-biggest economy and Japan the fourth. Both are in the exclusive club of countries classified by the Economist Intelligence Unit as “full democracies”.
https://www.theage.com.au/world/asia/germany-and-japan-once-threatened-democracy-now-they-re-saving-it-20260504-p5ztjk.html
https://archive.md/8VXlZ