Japan has said its expanding defence programme is aimed not only at strengthening national security but also at driving economic growth, arguing that investment in the defence sector can deliver broader benefits to the country’s economy.
The position was outlined in the government’s latest annual defence white paper, which assesses security threats posed by neighbouring China, Russia and North Korea while highlighting plans to strengthen Japan’s military capabilities.
According to a presentation by the Defence Ministry, the report encourages greater investment in technology, support for startups and the increased use of commercial components in weapons production as part of efforts to modernise the country’s defence industry.
The ministry stated that the white paper “stresses that investment in defence benefits the wider economy and people’s lives,” a message that aligns with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s broader economic strategy of using strategic public spending to stimulate growth.
In a departure from previous editions, the report features an anime-inspired cover showing a smiling family in a modern city rather than soldiers and military hardware. A Defence Ministry official said the artwork was intended to project a “futuristic image”.
The renewed emphasis on linking defence spending with economic prosperity comes as Takaichi’s administration prepares a new national security strategy. Analysts expect the document to recommend additional military spending aimed largely at deterring China from taking military action against Taiwan, a conflict that could also affect Japan.
The white paper described Beijing as the country’s most significant security concern, stating, “China’s military activities and other actions are a matter of serious concern to Japan and the international community, and represent Japan’s greatest strategic challenge.”
China previously criticised Takaichi after she suggested Japan’s Self-Defense Forces could be deployed if a Chinese attack on Taiwan threatened Japan’s survival, demanding she withdraw what Beijing described as an “egregious” remark.
Japan has already introduced a combination of tax measures, spending adjustments and one-off revenue sources to finance what it describes as its biggest military expansion since World War II, lifting defence-related expenditure to about two per cent of gross domestic product.
However, questions remain over how the government intends to fund further increases without placing additional strain on the country’s public finances.
The administration approved a record ¥122.3 trillion budget for the fiscal year ending March 2027 and later announced a supplementary ¥3.1 trillion package to help households and businesses cope with rising energy costs.
Much of the additional defence funding has so far been directed toward acquiring long-range missiles capable of striking targets more than 1,000 kilometres away, while future spending is expected to prioritise drones and other unmanned military systems similar to those widely used in the war in Ukraine.
