Japan to Build a More Powerful Military, Citing China as Its No. 1 Menace
Wall Street JournalDec 16, 2022
On Friday, Japan announced a five-year $320B package to build up its military — the largest of its kind since World War II and a significant departure from its pacifist stance.
The new plan will reportedly include an increased defense budget of 2% of GDP by 2027, up from about the current 1%. Based on the current GDP, annual spending could reach approximately $80B, ranking Japan third out of the top three countries, behind the US and China.
Japan, which holds the largest permanent contingent of US forces overseas, can no longer solely rely on US support — a fact that this latest plan acknowledges. The new strategy fortifies the US and Japan's vigor and will reshape their ability to promote peace and protect the Indo-Pacific region as China attempts to exert its influence.
Japan is groundlessly discrediting China. By adopting this new policy, Japan is putting itself on a more offensive footing, and deviating from its commitment to China-Japan relations and the common understanding between the two countries. But hyping-up the so-called China threat to find an excuse for its military build-up is doomed to fail.
There is a 62% chance that Japan Self-Defense Forces will have tested a Tomahawk missile by mid-2027, according to the Metaculus Prediction Community.