Japan's Defense Ministry has requested an 8.9 trillion yen ($55.6 billion) budget for the coming fiscal year, focusing on unmanned weapons, artificial intelligence, and hypersonic missiles. The strategy aims to strengthen Japan's counterstrike capabilities and address military workforce shortages caused by an aging population. China has criticized the buildup as 'new militarism,' warning that submarine-launched missiles and hypersonic tests threaten regional stability.
Japan defense budget request
- ▪Under its 2022 five-year defense strategy, Japan doubled its defense spending to approximately 2% of its gross domestic product to counter China's growing assertiveness.
- ▪The Japanese Defense Ministry disclosed an 8.9 trillion yen ($55.6 billion) budget request for the coming fiscal year on August 31, 2026.
- ▪The final Japanese defense budget is expected to increase after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government approves a new security and defense strategy.
- ▪The Japanese Defense Ministry's preliminary budget request of 8.9 trillion yen ($55.6 billion) represents a small increase from the 8.8 trillion yen ($55 billion) requested for the current fiscal year.
Unmanned weapons development
- ▪The Japanese Defense Ministry plans to develop and mass-produce low-cost uncrewed weapons to reduce costs, minimize casualties, and build a cost-efficient air defense network.
- ▪Experts state that developing fully homemade drones will be a challenge for Japan because its commercial market is dominated by imports from China.
- ▪The Japanese Defense Ministry is requesting an unspecified amount of funding for the fiscal year beginning April 2027 to acquire unmanned attack drones for launch from above or under water.
AI command systems
- ▪The Japanese Defense Ministry plans to introduce an integrated artificial intelligence platform in command and control to improve speed and accuracy in battlefield assessment and target selection.
- ▪Japan is considering using existing foreign artificial intelligence technologies, including those of the United States, or combining them with domestically developed systems.
- ▪The Japanese Defense Ministry seeks to build a next-generation 'AI orchestrator' platform to integrate and autonomously operate multiple artificial intelligence systems.
Hypersonic missile development
- ▪The Japanese Defense Ministry is seeking to develop hypersonic missiles that can be launched from submarines to strengthen its counterstrike capability.
- ▪China's defense ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang criticized Japan's plans to test hypersonic weapons in Australia, calling the moves dangerous.
- ▪Analysts state that Japan's hypersonic weapon plans could threaten People's Liberation Army amphibious groups and surface combatants within the first island chain.
Submarine-launched weapons
- ▪China's defense ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang singled out Japan's plans to arm its submarine drones with long-range missiles as an open expansion of its military arsenal.
- ▪Analysts suggest that Japan's submarine-launched weapon plans could affect the People's Liberation Army Navy's ability to operate in the event of a Taiwan conflict.
Defense workforce shortages
- ▪Japanese officials state that uncrewed weapons could help compensate for the falling number of military personnel as Japan's population ages and shrinks.
- ▪Dozens of Japanese defense suppliers have withdrawn over past decades due to poor profits, uncertain business outlooks, and reputational concerns regarding arms manufacturing.
- ▪The Japanese Defense Ministry requested an unspecified amount to fund a state-owned, contractor-operated system to ensure stable defense equipment production.
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