Japan has often been criticized by the international community for resorting to "checkbook diplomacy" instead of committing uniformed personnel to danger zones as part of U.N. peacekeeping operations, but the ruling Democratic Party of Japan has signaled it wants that to change.
Greater engagement in U.N. peacekeeping operations would be seen as a positive contribution to the international community. But with the Constitution's constraints on the Self-Defense Forces, restricting their use of weapons to self-defense, and the aversion of the Social Democratic Party, which is part of the DPJ-led ruling bloc, to any overseas SDF dispatch, pose hurdles.
To date, the U.N. peacekeeping operations the SDF has participated in did not actually require the forces to keep the peace. SDF elements have never attempted to keep warring sides apart, or protect people targeted by the violence of warfare.