Overview
- The Cabinet adopted the 598‑page Defense of Japan 2026 that calls China the country’s greatest strategic challenge and describes the regional security environment as the most severe since World War II.
- The paper prioritises rapid development and deployment of combat drones, artificial intelligence and other unmanned systems for coastal defence and long‑range strike roles, with the Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency fast‑tracking prototype testing.
- Tokyo is tying defence industrial policy to economic goals by boosting funding for startups, loosening arms‑export rules and seeking to expand domestic weapons production to secure supply and spur growth.
- Japan has already fielded long‑range Type‑25 missiles and is targeting roughly 2 percent of GDP for defence spending, and the white paper says the government will accelerate revisions to core security documents to enable further buildup.
- The release prompted official rebukes from China and a warning from North Korea, raising short‑term regional tensions and increasing the likelihood of sharper diplomatic and military signalling between Tokyo, Beijing and Pyongyang.