Although many of the security challenges and measures described in the document are nothing new — having already been mentioned in Japan’s diplomatic bluebooks and its defence white papers — the emphasis and nuance of each item are different. It is perhaps the first ‘official’ policy document that implies the government’s intention to exercise the right to collective self-defence. The key phrase in the NSS document is ‘a proactive contributor to peace’, which appears eight times. Although the document does not make any reference to collective self-defence, it is widely recognised in the Japanese media and among the public that the principle of ‘a proactive contributor to peace’ reflects Abe’s desire to expand Japan’s military role, especially in UN related missions and within the framework of the Japan–US alliance by recognising the nation’s right to collective self-defence.