Japan outlines its military build-up plan, citing threats from China, Russia and North Korea

Japan's government is emphasizing its military expansion as a means to enhance both national security and economic prosperity, according to its latest defense white paper. The document, which assesses threats from China, Russia, and North Korea, argues that investment in defense benefits the wider economy and people's lives. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's administration is using the strategy to drive economic growth, as seen in the anime-style cover of the white paper, which features a smiling family in a gleaming cityscape.

Military experts anticipate the upcoming national security strategy will advocate for further spending increases, primarily aimed at deterring China from initiating conflict with Taiwan that could potentially involve Japan. Beijing strongly objected in November to Takaichi's statement about deploying Self-Defense Forces in response to a Chinese attack on Taiwan threatening Japan's survival.

Japan has been financing its largest military buildup since World War Two through a combination of tax increases, spending reforms, and one-off revenues, pushing defense-related spending to 2% of GDP. However, Takaichi has yet to clarify how the government would finance additional expansion without straining Japan's already strained public finances.

The budget for the year 2027 was recorded at 122.3 trillion yen, with an additional 3.1 trillion yen supplementary package to alleviate household and business burdens from higher energy costs. The majority of the new defense spending has been allocated to missiles capable of reaching over 1,000 km, with a significant portion expected to be directed towards drones and unmanned weapons similar to those being used by Ukraine in its war with Russia.