Japan makes record US$58 billion defence spending request amid Indo-Pacific tensions

Headline items on the ministry’s wish list include the development of artificial intelligence to assist in national defence; uncrewed weapons systems in the air, on the ground and at sea; and the development of counterstrike capabilities through the purchase of long-range missiles and the building of an additional Aegis-class destroyer to launch them.

The most critical element of Japan’s military build-up, however, is in another area, according to security analyst Ryo Hinata-Yamaguchi.

“This year’s budget is all part of the larger, five-year plan to increase defence spending through 2027 and the projects they have outlined have been on the horizon for some time,” the associate professor at Tokyo International University’s Institute for International Strategy told This Week in Asia.