Sunday's election in Japan just might be as impactful as Brexit

THE world seemed almost to hold its breath before the "Brexit" vote in the United Kingdom in June and later to gasp at the outcome. But, by contrast, the global reaction to the Japanese Parliament's upper house election this weekend can be best characterised as a yawn. Yet this could be an event of global significance in geopolitical terms.

The East and South China seas are already flashpoints for potential conflict among Japan, China and other Asian maritime powers - plus, of course, the United States. If Sunday's election opens the way to revision of the nation's Constitution, then the situation is likely to become even more volatile.

If Japan does opt for constitutional change - including revising Article 9, which currently prevents it from projecting military force abroad - some fear this could draw the nation into other people's wars and plunge Northeast Asia (already simmering with tensions) into deeper turmoil.