The Japanese government of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida approved revisions to Japanese defense policy which clearly increase the offensive potential of the Japanese military—though officials insist that they don’t mean a change in Japan’s Constitutional pacifism. The changes are all aimed at China—including opening the possibility of Japanese involvement in the “defense” of Taiwan—and bring Japan’s defense policy more in line with that of the U.S.
According to the Japan Times, the Kishida government passed revisions to three key security documents after months of debate, outlining “a tough new stance” in a region “where China continues to flex its military muscle near Taiwan, North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats remain unceasing, and Russia’s bloody invasion of Ukraine has stoked fears that others in Asia could take a page from their playbook.”
“Looking at Japan’s surroundings, it is facing the most severe and complex security environment since the end of World War II,” according to the country’s new National Security Strategy (NSS), which also noted growing pressure “by those seeking to unilaterally change the status quo by force.”
Most notable among the changes to the documents is the formal introduction—after years of debate—of a so-called counterstrike capability, one that allows Japan to hit enemy bases and command-and-control nodes with longer-range standoff missiles. The move gives Tokyo a powerful deterrent in the powder-keg region, but also raises questions about the future of the country’s defense posture.
“We conducted a realistic simulation of whether current capabilities held by the Self-Defense Forces were sufficient to deter threats and protect the nation,” Kishida said at a news conference later on Dec. 16. “Frankly, the current capabilities are insufficient.” Based on those results, he said possessing the capability to strike enemy bases preparing to launch an attack against Japan would be indispensable as a deterrent to such moves.
As for the budget, Japan Times notes that, late last month, Kishida had already ordered that Japan’s defense budget be increased to 2% of GDP over the next five years, and a week later he ordered the five-year spending plan to be hiked to around ¥43 trillion ($315 billion).
Not surprisingly, the revisions to Japan’s national security policy were welcomed at the Pentagon. “We welcome the release of Japan’s updated strategy documents – the National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy, and Defense Buildup Program – which reflect Japan’s staunch commitment to upholding the international rules-based order and a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a statement, confirming the alignment of Japanese military policy towards China with that of the U.S.. “There is important alignment between Japan’s newly released National Defense Strategy and the vision and priorities outlined in the U.S. National Defense Strategy, both of which underpin continuing bilateral efforts to modernize the Alliance, bolster integrated deterrence, and address evolving regional and global security challenges through cooperation with like minded allies and partners.”
