Key Points
- Japan warns of rapidly changing warfare
- China remains Japan’s top strategic challenge
ISLAMABAD: Japan has identified an “urgent” need to strengthen its military capabilities and adapt to rapidly changing methods of warfare, as Tokyo accelerates its defence buildup amid growing security concerns in East Asia.
Japan’s Defence Ministry said in its latest annual defence white paper that the country must respond more rapidly to emerging threats. Tokyo underlines an urgent need to invest in technologies, including combat drones, artificial intelligence (AI), and other unmanned systems.
The report draws lessons from the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, where relatively inexpensive drones have increasingly shaped battlefield operations.
The white paper places particular emphasis on unmanned systems as the country confronts a declining population and persistent personnel shortages in its Self-Defence Forces.
Tokyo has selected four companies for a programme to rapidly develop and test drones, with the government seeking to expand domestic production and encourage startups to contribute to defence technologies.
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Japan’s defence minister has also stressed the need for speed in responding to new forms of warfare.
In June, the ministry received proposals from 38 companies under an accelerated interceptor-drone programme, with testing and possible mass procurement planned on a shortened timetable.
Japan’s policy shift
The latest policy shift forms part of a broader military expansion. Tokyo’s defence spending has reached about 2 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP). The level is its highest since the end of World War II.
Meanwhile, Tokyo is preparing a new national security strategy that could pave the way for further increases.
Japan’s Defence Ministry identified China as the country’s top strategic challenge, citing increased Chinese military activity around Taiwan and Japan’s southwestern islands, according to AP News.
Tokyo is also increasingly concerned about North Korea’s missile and nuclear programmes and closer military cooperation between China and Russia.
The military expansion also marks a significant evolution from its post-World War II pacifist security posture. The government is seeking stronger long-range strike, missile defence and unmanned capabilities, alongside closer defence cooperation with partners including the United States, Australia, Britain, Italy, and the Philippines.
The buildup is being accompanied by efforts to strengthen Japan’s defence industry and use military investment to stimulate technological innovation and economic growth. However, the government faces questions over the long-term financing of higher defence spending amid competing fiscal demands.
