Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party has released a draft version of a revised national constitution. The new document removes World War II-imposed restrictions that have kept Japanese forces in a purely self-defense role. Under the new guidance, they would officially be free to join international peacekeeping ventures. (Read our story here about Japan’s wake-up call from its Cold War strategic slumber.)
A new report from the Government Accountability Office calls for the Pentagon’s Chief Technology Officer to have budget certification authority over the military services’ research and development accounts—a move the services say would add a burdensome and unnecessary layer of bureaucracy.

