CCTV9英语新闻：日本军事扩张的意图

There has been four editions prior to Japan’s newly released National Defense¹ Program Guidelines.

In 1976, the Japanese government proposed a so-called "basic defense force" to fend² itsefl from small-scale invasions. It set the late Soviet³ Union as an imaginary enemy and stressed that the country should maintain the minimum combat ability.

In 1995, Japan made a second edition of its Defense Program Guidelines, extending the responsibility of its self-defense forces from defending the country to making contributions to world peace. It laid ground for the Japanese forces to conduct international missions.

In 2004, the country listed safeguarding international security as a major task of its self-defense forces. The third edition also set China’s normal military development as a threat to Japan.

The fourth edition in 2010 denied its previous policies of having the "basic defense force". Instead, it called for a more active defense force. It also said Japan should strengthen security on islands South to the Kyushu Island, which included China’s Diaoyu island.

1 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

2 fend   

v.照料（自己），（自己）谋生，挡开，避开

参考例句：

• I've had to fend for myself since I was 14.我从十四岁时起就不得不照料自己。
• He raised his arm up to fend branches from his eyes.他举手将树枝从他眼前挡开。

3 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。