Former US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage is urging Japan to go slow on expanding the reach of its military.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to revise the country’s peace constitution to allow its military to aid allies under attack.

The U.S. supports the move to collective self-defense.

Armitage met the Secretary General of Japan’s ruling party, Shigeru Ishiba.

He advised Ishiba not to rush the change.

Armitage argued that Abe should focus on the economy to stay in power.

The Abe administration reached out to Armitage ahead of President Barack Obama’s visit to Japan beginning tomorrow.

Armitage is known as a longtime supporter of Japan.