The government increases the defense budget so that the allocations will amount to the equivalent of two percent of GDP by the year 2027. The chain of command must be reformed and new robots must be purchased to provide a greater ability to fight back in the event of an attack.
China is held up as the main reason for this. In the new national security strategy adopted by Japan, China is described as the “greatest strategic challenge” to Japan’s pursuit of peace and stability.
China’s foreign ministry condemns Japan’s new ambitions, describing it as painting a Chinese threat “as an excuse to build up the military”.
In connection with that, two Chinese warships sailed past just south of Japan, which Chinese propaganda media describe as a “signal” to Japan.
Historically, Japan’s defense budget has been around one percent of GDP. Since the end of the Second World War, the country has not been allowed to establish its own military power. Instead, it has so-called self-defense forces, which stay within formal frameworks.
Japanese governments have long argued that robotic systems established for express defense purposes would not run afoul of the constitutional military ban.