TOKYO, Jan 9: Japan launched its first fully-fledged defence ministry since World War II on Tuesday as part of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s efforts to build a more assertive nation.

Abe, Japan’s first premier to be born after the war, made the creation of a defence ministry one of his top priorities. He aims eventually to rewrite the US-imposed 1947 constitution that declared Japan a pacifist country.

“Since the Cold War ended, the national security situation facing Japan has changed dramatically,” Abe said at a ceremony to mark the creation of a cabinet-level defence ministry. He said the move “shows the maturity of Japan's democracy”.

“This is a significant step for us to ... lay the foundations for our efforts to build the nation,” he added.

Prime Minister Abe, a passionate advocate of a more assertive Japan, has faced slipping poll ratings since taking office in September with a vow to build “a beautiful nation” and calls for a hard line against North Korea’s nuclear programme.

China, meanwhile, has urged Japan to continue its peaceful post-war policies after the creation of the ministry. Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said: “We hope that whatever structural changes Japan makes it can continue on the path of peaceful diplomacy.”—AFP