In 1956, while commenting on Japan’s ability to defend itself from attack, Japanese Prime Minister Ichiro Hatoyama said that the government should not “merely sit and wait to die.” China’s growing conventional strike and amphibious assault forces are pushing Japan’s Ministry of Defense to reshape the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF). Long-range strike munitions and launchers … Read more
Japan aims to play a greater security role under Prime Minister Kishida Fumio. On December 16, 2022, the Kishida administration approved three new strategic documents: the National Security Strategy, the National Defense Strategy, and the Defense Buildup Program. Under the new strategy, Japan aims to double the defense budget from the current level of roughly … Read more
Advertisement On August 31, the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo asked for 7.74 trillion yen ($53 billion) for fiscal year 2024, its largest ever budget request, as Japan faces the most severe and complex security environment since the end of World War II. The request, a whopping 13.4 percent increase from the initial budget in … Read more
Advertisement From August to October 2022, the German Air Force conducted its first large-scale deployment in the Indo-Pacific region, known as Rapid Pacific. This was defense diplomacy by the German Air Force, symbolized by the “Air Ambassador” paint scheme on one of the six Eurofighters deployed to strengthen ties with allies and partners in the … Read more
Advertisement Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio appeared on the cover of the May 22-29 issue of Time magazine, with the headline stating that Kishida “wants to abandon decades of pacifism – and make his country a true military power.” Uncomfortable with the text, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued an objection to the publication. … Read more