Bird-Like Character 'Bo Emon' Mystifies Japan in Government Video

TOKYO -- Post-World War II Japan has been known as a pacifist nation and is constitutionally barred from engaging in war as a means to settle international disputes. However, loose interpretation of the pacifist constitution -- as well as and recent revisions to the U.S.-Japan defense guidelines -- have opened the door to Japan playing a bigger role in global military operations.

As Japan steadily widens the scope of its military, some are questioning this new direction and the role the military, known as the Japan Self Defense Forces, will play in regional and global affairs.

Enter Bo-Emon -- a “mysterious yet cute creature whose age and gender are unknown," as one viewer put it -- to explain the situation.

The government commissioned the bird-like character to star in an 18-minute video on the Ministry of Defense’s YouTube channel entitled Bo-Emon's Defense Lecture-ABC of Self Defense.

Bo-Emon clearly explains the role and purpose of Japan’s Self Defense Forces to viewers. Or does he?

Folks at Tokyo’s Shibuya Crossing were shown the video and asked their thoughts. See the video above.