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TOKYO — Japan on Friday unveiled sweeping changes to its national security strategy and a significant increase in its defense budget, a dramatic shift to shed its longstanding post-war pacifist constraints as it grapples with rising security threats and risks of war in the Indo-Pacific.
In the face of a growing military threat from China, North Korea’s nuclear ambitions and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Japan is poised to take a tougher stance to defend itself and improve its capabilities in this regard.
Notable changes include the move to acquire “Counterstrike” capabilities, or the ability to hit enemy bases with long-range missiles and coordinate with the United States in such circumstances, and an increase in its defense budget to 2 percent of GDP over five years and is the third largest in the world.
“Each of us must be aware that we are protecting our country. This is very important, as we learned from Ukraine,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in a news conference on Friday. “We are now at a turning point in our national security policy.”
Japan wants to buy Tomahawk missiles to bolster its defenses, fearing war
The Russian invasion of Ukraine was a catalyst for the ground wave of changes in Japan’s national security and defense posture unthinkable earlier this year.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine showed the Japanese that a Chinese takeover of Taiwan could be a reality, raising public awareness and increasing support for Japan to take steps to improve its defense capabilities.
The new strategy documents released on Friday do not directly name China as a threat but say Beijing’s diplomatic stance and military activities raise “serious concerns” and pose an unprecedented “principal strategic challenge” to ensure peace in Japan and the international community. Japanese officials say they are still pursuing a “constructive and stable relationship” with China through multi-level communications.
In August, after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) visited Taipei, an outraged Beijing conducted aggressive military drills near Taiwan, including launching ballistic missiles that landed in Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone. There were also several incursions by sea and air into the waters around Japan.
Meanwhile, North Korea has tested an unprecedented number of ballistic missiles over the past year as it continues its nuclear weapons program, even sending one over Japan for the first time in five years.
Russia’s invasion leads to a more assertive Japanese foreign policy
Japanese officials have concluded current capabilities are inadequate, Kishida said.
Japan wants to improve its long-range attack capability with both Japanese-made long-range weapons and imported foreign ones, such as the US-built Tomahawk cruise missile.
Japan’s defense policy will remain defense-oriented, and counter-strike will only be used under certain limited conditions, according to the documents. The new strategy does not allow pre-emptive strikes.
The new strategy documents noted that countries around Japan have made great strides in missile-related technologies, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Missile attacks on Japan are now a “tangible threat” and Japan needs capabilities beyond existing ballistic missile defenses to protect itself, it said. Japan views counter-strike capabilities as a potentially powerful conventional deterrent.
Over the next decade, Japan aims to develop capabilities that “make it possible to disrupt and defeat invasions against its nation much earlier and from a greater distance,” according to the strategy.
Japan will increase defense personnel and strengthen the core capabilities of its Self-Defense Forces, as well as improve its space and cybersecurity capabilities, according to the released strategy documents.
Key Asian nations join global backlash against Russia over China
The Biden administration has welcomed Japan’s moves as part of a deepening alliance strengthening the US strategy of regional cooperation to improve security. Other aspects of this strategy include an agreement whereby the United States and Britain will help Australia develop nuclear-powered submarines and lift restrictions on South Korea building ballistic missiles.
Kishida “put a capital D next to Japan’s deterrent,” US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel said in a statement. “The Prime Minister makes a clear, unambiguous strategic statement on Japan’s role as security provider in the Indo-Pacific. He has enhanced Japan’s standing in the service of its diplomatic and political engagement with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific and Europe.”
Japan has also diversified its security partnerships with partners in the region and in Europe as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen its ties with like-minded countries seeking to counter China’s rise.
Up for debate is how Japan will pay for the new strategy. Kishida said Friday three-quarters of the funding could come from reallocating current spending to defense. The rest will come through taxes on a mix of corporate, tobacco and disaster recovery income, said the prime minister, who was criticized for passing on some of the new defense spending to taxpayers.