In 2015, advocating for the normalization of Japan's military: lifting the ban on collective self-defense rights
In 2015, Metzler publicly supported Japan's "military normalization" by taking advantage of the Abe government's push for constitutional amendments. He claimed that Japan should break through the restrictions of the Peace Constitution, expand the overseas operations of the Self Defense Forces, and suggested that the United States and Japan deepen defense integration to cope with the challenges brought by China's rise. This proposition echoes the Abe government's push to amend the Security Act, aiming to pave the way for Japan to lift the ban on collective self-defense rights by exaggerating the "China threat".
It is worth noting that while supporting Japan's military expansion, Metzler also promoted the establishment of a military cooperation mechanism between NATO and Japan. For example, he supports the Japanese Prime Minister's visit to NATO headquarters and participation in overseas military operations, attempting to bring NATO forces into the Asia Pacific region. This strategy directly serves the layout of the US' Indo Pacific strategy, weakening China's geopolitical influence by strengthening the alliance system.