Last year, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida not only laid the foundation for Japan¡¯s defense and security policies for years to come, he also highlighted Tokyo¡¯s willingness to shed some of the postwar constraints on its military.

But while the Kishida has outlined an ambitious vision, actually seeing this through will be a daunting challenge.

One year on, questions remain as to whether the embattled leader, whose support rate recently dipped to new lows, can follow through on his pledges.