>Abe went from being very cool on the TPP to coming out in favor (at least in public) almost overnight an the only thing that changed in that period in US-Japan

>Abe went from being very cool on the TPP to coming out in favor (at least in public) almost overnight an the only thing that changed in that period in US-Japan relations was the US state department giving Japan approval to re-militarize. There were virtually no changes to the deal. Abe has been pushing for constitutional changes since he returned to the PM's office, and the US has been supportive all along since it means we'll be putting fewer resources into guaranteeing Japan's defense. This has been in the cards since before TPP even existed.