The expert panel's focus on Japan's defense buildup is called for, but what Japan really needs is an overhaul of its security and foreign policy posturing.
Xi's has reformed the PLA to follow his larger strategic vision, placing greater emphasis on military diplomacy and seeking armed dominance in the region.
On a per capita basis, South Korea is spending more than twice as much on defense, and its weapons development budget is believed to be triple...
Japan has taken steps toward better funding its self-defense, and Newsham outlines strategic areas for optimization.
The targets for counterstrikes are likely to include enemy launch and related sites, such as anti-aircraft radar and airfields, if Japan is attacked.
The Prime Minister should convince the public of what is required for the defense of Japan and the level of spending required to accomplish it.
“In the face of crises you may encounter in the future, it will not be enough to merely look right and left and choose the middle...
What will the next few years of Japanese policy look like? Fumio Kishida gave indications of what to expect following the July 10 Upper House election...
NATO’s 2022 Strategic Concept mentions Russia, but also China for the first time, expressing wariness towards the “systemic challenges posed by the PRC.”
Japan’s security environment is harsher than NATO’s and the menace is not limited to Russia. Spending more than 2% of GDP is critical for national security.
President Joe Biden’s declaration that the US would help defend Taiwan enhances deterrence in the region. Japan too should be proactive in this respect.
Does Japan have the will to transform into a normal country, like Germany has done almost instantaneously in the wake of the Ukraine crisis?
