Japan Expands Military Capabilities and Debates Nuclear Policy

The administration of Sanae Takaichi is aggressively expanding Japan's military capabilities and challenging the nation's postwar pacifist identity. The government recently released its 2026 defense white paper, which justifies military growth by emphasizing regional security threats and the China threat narrative. This policy shift includes strengthening defense production and the deployment of Type 25 Surface-to-Ship and High-Speed Glide missiles in Kumamoto and Shizuoka Prefectures. In July, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force conducted its first test launch of a US-made Tomahawk cruise missile.

Parallel to these hardware acquisitions, Japanese leaders are pushing for a renewed debate on nuclear weapons, questioning the three non-nuclear principles established in 1967. While Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has called for a discussion without a taboo, Prime Minister Takaichi has refused to clarify if she will maintain the principles. Hirofumi Yoshimura of the Japan Innovation Party suggested there is room for discussion regarding allowing nuclear arms to be brought into the country.

These developments have sparked significant backlash. The government of China condemned the defense white paper as groundless and accused the Takaichi administration of new militarism. Domestically, atomic bomb survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki and anti-war protesters argue that the government is prioritizing military capacity over diplomacy and eroding the principle of exclusive defense.