Japan to fortify denial capabilities with US in defence strategy revamp

Japan is contemplating the incorporation of a pledge to bolster its ability to impede an adversary's aggression in collaboration with the United States in an upcoming revision of a significant defense policy document, according to government sources on Tuesday. The fundamental guidelines for the National Defence Strategy will also advocate for amplified Japan-US cooperation to bolster the defense industrial base and deepen security ties with countries sharing similar values, the sources disclosed.

The National Security Strategy, the most senior of the three documents scheduled for revision by the end of the year, is anticipated to portray the world as entering a phase of substantial transformation, as per a draft outline shared by the sources. The document is also projected to delineate "six modifications" in the security landscape, encompassing the weaponization of economic interdependence, the sources added.

The upcoming revisions of the three documents, which also encompass the Defence Build-up Programme, are set to occur under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, renowned for her assertive approach to national security, amidst China's escalating assertiveness, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and North Korea's nuclear and missile development endeavors.

Earlier on Tuesday, Takaichi's governing Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, commenced working-level discussions on the three papers, which were last updated in 2022.