Japan plans to use drones, artificial intelligence and new methods of warfare as it adapts its defense strategies to suit changing times. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
According to details disclosed by the Defense Ministry on Monday, the preliminary total for the coming fiscal year is 8.9 trillion yen ($55.6 billion). This is only a small increase from the 8.8 trillion yen ($55 billion) defense budget requested for this fiscal year. It will be much higher eventually, but further details will come later this year after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government approves the new security and defense strategy aimed at strengthening Japan's counterstrike capability.
Under its five-year defense strategy set in 2022, Japan has doubled its defense spending to about 2% of its gross domestic product to build up its Self-Defense Forces' offensive role to counter China's growing assertiveness. Beijing has criticized Japan's defense buildup as "new militarism."
Japan now aims to "drastically strengthen its deterrence and response capability by transforming its defense capability" by adapting to new warfare as in Ukraine's deployment of drones, the ministry said in a pamphlet about its budget request.
The ministry says new ways of warfare require domestic development and mass-production of low-cost uncrewed weapons to reduce costs, minimize casualties and build a more cost-efficient air defense network.
The ministry plans to use attack drones in coordination with long-range missiles for more cost-effective counterstrikes. For the fiscal year beginning in April 2027, it is requesting an unspecified amount of funding to acquire unmanned attack drones for launch from above or under water.
Russia's jet-powered drones bring empty Kyiv supermarket shelves and rattle Ukrainians. UAE says it intercepted an Iranian drone after weekend US strikes on rocket launchers in Iran. US strikes Iranian rocket launchers on the Strait of Hormuz in first military action in weeks.
Officials say uncrewed weapons could also help Japan compensate for the falling number of military personnel as its population ages and shrinks. Experts say developing fully homemade drones, given that Japan's commercial market is dominated by imports from China, would be a challenge.
Japan in recent years has fortified its southwestern region with longer range missiles and interceptors. To further strengthen its counterstrike capability, the ministry is seeking to develop hypersonic missiles that can be launched from ships.