Japan is arming itself like it never has before. The Defense Ministry has now asked for a nearly 12% budget increase this year, to finance the acquisition of warships and long range cruise missiles. If approved, it would be the second straight year of the new five-year military build-up plan that was approved in December last year. 
The request to increase the defense budget as part of that plan, came a day after Japan's top uniformed officer, General Yoshihide Yoshida warned that the neglected state of the country's Self-Defence Forces had put it's very sovereignty in jeopardy. 

In an interview to the Nikkei Asia newspaper, he said: "We cannot maintain Japan's security with our current capabilities. The international community is at a critical juncture on whether it can prevent unilateral changes in the status quo by force and maintain an international order based on the rule of law. Japan is on the front lines of this fight in the Indo-Pacific."

North Korea has always been a threat to the island nation and in recent years, under Kim Jong Un, that threat has only increased. A now nearly monthly danger comes from the numerous missile launches from North Korea. Missiles which land on many occassions in waters around Japan. It is one of the reasons why the defense ministry wants the funds to build two warships which will have the radar capability to intercept North Korean missile launches. 

And then there is the historical threat from China. Both nations have territorial disputes as well that have seen ships from both countries face off in recent years. The war in Ukraine has added a new dimension to this threat in the form of the 'no limits' partnership between China and Russia. The navies of both nations have since last year conducted numerous jount patrols and drills in the seas around Japan.

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Japan is arming itself like it never has before.

The defence ministry has now asked for a nearly 12% budget increase this year to finance the acquisition of warships and long-range cruise missiles.

If approved, it would be the second straight year of the new five-year military build-up plan that was approved in December last year.

The request to increase the defence budget as part of that plan came a day after Japan's top uniformed officer, General Yoshihide Yoshida, warned that the neglected state of the country's self-defense forces had put its very sovereignty in jeopardy.

In an interview to the Nikkei Asia newspaper he said and I quote, We cannot maintain Japan's security with our current capabilities.

The international community is at a critical juncture on whether it can prevent unilateral changes in the status quo by force and maintain an international order based on the rule of law.

Japan is on the front lines of this fight in the Indo-Pacific.

For starters, North Korea has always been a threat to the island nation and in recent years, under Kim Jong-un, that threat has only increased.

And now, nearly monthly danger comes from the numerous missile launches from North Korea.

Missiles which land on many occasions in waters around Japan.

It is 1 of the reasons why the defence ministry wants the funds to build 2 warships which will have the radar capability to intercept North Korean missile launches.

And then there is the historical threat from China.

Both nations have territorial disputes as well that have seen ships from both countries face off in recent years.

The war in Ukraine has added a new dimension to this threat in the form of the no-limits partnership between China and Russia.

The navies of both nations have since last year conducted numerous joint patrols and drills in the seas around Japan.

And joining me now for more is National Security expert Michito Tsuruoka from Japan's Keio University.

Professor Tsuruoka, it's a pretty damning assessment from General Yoshida that the SDF can't protect Japan at the moment.

It's no secret that the current posture is not enough, we need to have a bigger budget, and that's going to help.

What are the priority areas that Japan is looking to upgrade the SDF in?

Particularly the government is now focusing on acquiring what is called counter-strike capability, which is about acquiring the cruise missiles.

So, because for a long time Japan didn't have any strike capability.

Fact that both North Korea and China have been strengthening, improving their capabilities, their missile capabilities.

So Japan finally realizes that it needs to respond.

And how much of this change in force posture and these new weapons that Japan wants to acquire are informed by the after-effects of the Ukraine war?

The general public support for the idea of increasing defence budget, I think to some extent has been influenced by the war in Ukraine and also the rising tensions over Taiwan.

Japan has been facing missile threats from North Korea for many years.

So now this is a new government position that we need to respond.

So from an expert perspective, the government's decision to strengthen defence posture was somehow very late.

I wouldn't say too late, but never too late.

But still, Japan should have done more much earlier.

You talk about increasing public support for this increased defence budget and increased acquisitions from the SDF.

Yet, having said that, the SDF is facing a problem when it comes to recruitment, for instance.

Not many people want to join the SDF to be soldiers.

That is, I believe, the biggest problem that the Self-Defense Forces are facing.

Because building new and more vessels and buying more aircraft.

I think is an easy part but recruiting people and also training people that is a more difficult part.

And so we can do because of a bigger defence budget we can buy more equipment but how we can recruit people that is going to be a I think, the biggest challenge that the Self-Defence Force is going to have.

I do want to talk to you about Japan's security partner, the United States, because General Yoshida, in his interview, said that Japan needs to do more on its own when it comes to this alliance with the United States.

Does Japan not think that the US is a reliable ally?

Japan really trusts Americans and trusts the alliance with the United States.

So we are generally confident about the credibility of the U.S.

Security guarantee and security commitment.

But at the same time, the regional balance of power is changing.

So at least in relative terms, the power of the U.S.

Is declining in the region, particularly vis-à-vis China.

And that is very much about strengthening and expanding our strategic partnerships.

So that includes relations with Australia, relations with India, and relations with NATO and European countries.

Speaking of those alliances, there are alliances that Japan has and it exercises with countries like Australia and India.

Japan's relations, Japan's cooperation with Australia or India or any other partners are not supposed to replace the alliance with the United States.

Because the alliance with the United States.

But thank you so much for joining us today, Professor Michito Tsuruoka.


Speaker 0: Japan is arming itself like it never has before. The defence ministry has now asked for a nearly 12% budget increase this year to finance the acquisition of warships and long-range cruise missiles. If approved, it would be the second straight year of the new five-year military build-up plan that was approved in December last year. The request to increase the defence budget as part of that plan came a day after Japan's top uniformed officer, General Yoshihide Yoshida, warned that the neglected state of the country's self-defense forces had put its very sovereignty in jeopardy. In an interview to the Nikkei Asia newspaper he said and I quote, We cannot maintain Japan's security with our current capabilities.

The international community is at a critical juncture on whether it can prevent unilateral changes in the status quo by force and maintain an international order based on the rule of law. Japan is on the front lines of this fight in the Indo-Pacific. And he's not wrong. For starters, North Korea has always been a threat to the island nation and in recent years, under Kim Jong-un, that threat has only increased. And now, nearly monthly danger comes from the numerous missile launches from North Korea.

Missiles which land on many occasions in waters around Japan. It is 1 of the reasons why the defence ministry wants the funds to build 2 warships which will have the radar capability to intercept North Korean missile launches. And then there is the historical threat from China. Both nations have territorial disputes as well that have seen ships from both countries face off in recent years. The war in Ukraine has added a new dimension to this threat in the form of the no-limits partnership between China and Russia.

The navies of both nations have since last year conducted numerous joint patrols and drills in the seas around Japan. And joining me now for more is National Security expert Michito Tsuruoka from Japan's Keio University. Professor Tsuruoka, it's a pretty damning assessment from General Yoshida that the SDF can't protect Japan at the moment. Why is that?

Speaker 1: It's no secret that the current posture is not enough, we need to have a bigger budget, and that's going to help.

Speaker 0: What are the priority areas that Japan is looking to upgrade the SDF in?

Speaker 1: Particularly the government is now focusing on acquiring what is called counter-strike capability, which is about acquiring the cruise missiles. So, because for a long time Japan didn't have any strike capability. Fact that both North Korea and China have been strengthening, improving their capabilities, their missile capabilities. So Japan finally realizes that it needs to respond.

Speaker 0: And how much of this change in force posture and these new weapons that Japan wants to acquire are informed by the after-effects of the Ukraine war?

Speaker 1: The general public support for the idea of increasing defence budget, I think to some extent has been influenced by the war in Ukraine and also the rising tensions over Taiwan. Japan has been facing missile threats from North Korea for many years. So now this is a new government position that we need to respond. So from an expert perspective, the government's decision to strengthen defence posture was somehow very late. I wouldn't say too late, but never too late.

But still, Japan should have done more much earlier. That's my view.

Speaker 0: You talk about increasing public support for this increased defence budget and increased acquisitions from the SDF. Yet, having said that, the SDF is facing a problem when it comes to recruitment, for instance. Not many people want to join the SDF to be soldiers. Isn't that the case as well?

Speaker 1: Exactly. That is, I believe, the biggest problem that the Self-Defense Forces are facing. Because building new and more vessels and buying more aircraft. I think is an easy part but recruiting people and also training people that is a more difficult part. And so we can do because of a bigger defence budget we can buy more equipment but how we can recruit people that is going to be a I think, the biggest challenge that the Self-Defence Force is going to have.

Speaker 0: I do want to talk to you about Japan's security partner, the United States, because General Yoshida, in his interview, said that Japan needs to do more on its own when it comes to this alliance with the United States. Does Japan not think that the US is a reliable ally?

Speaker 1: Japan really trusts Americans and trusts the alliance with the United States. So we are generally confident about the credibility of the U.S. Security guarantee and security commitment. But at the same time, the regional balance of power is changing. So at least in relative terms, the power of the U.S.

Is declining in the region, particularly vis-à-vis China. And that is very much about strengthening and expanding our strategic partnerships. So that includes relations with Australia, relations with India, and relations with NATO and European countries.

Speaker 0: Speaking of those alliances, there are alliances that Japan has and it exercises with countries like Australia and India. How important are those?

Speaker 1: Japan's relations, Japan's cooperation with Australia or India or any other partners are not supposed to replace the alliance with the United States. Because the alliance with the United States.

Speaker 0: We'll leave it there for the time being. But thank you so much for joining us today, Professor Michito Tsuruoka. Thank you, sir.

Speaker 1: Thank you

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What's behind Japan's massive military build-up plan | DW News