Redefining Pacifism

Japan has taken its first steps to break from self-imposed limits on its military power. While some in Japan have long sought to reinterpret the post-World War II constitution’s restrictions on armed force, growing Chinese assertiveness in the region, increasing North Korean missile capabilities and Russia’s war in Ukraine have created an environment in which Tokyo feels it must act.

A new National Security Strategy (NNS), the first since 2013, was published in December 2022. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida declared Japan had reached a “turning point” in its history and could no longer afford to neglect its military capabilities.

The strategy outlined a five-year spending plan that would double the Japanese defense budget to 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2027, eliminating a self-imposed one percent cap on defense spending in place since 1976. If executed as planned, the US$320 billion program would catapult Japan into third place in military spending worldwide after the U.S. and China.

Beyond the increased spending, which will need to address shortcomings in spare parts and munitions as well as new procurement, the strategy calls for acquiring offensive capabilities previously thought unthinkable under Japan’s pacifist constitution. While outlining the requirement, the document emphasizes that such “counterstrike capabilities” would only be used in response to aggression and are largely intended to deter threats, seeking to balance hard power requirements with Japan’s longstanding defensive mindset.

To read more of Military Periscope's latest report, click here.