Japan's Defense Ministry is seeking record spending of 8.9 trillion yen, approximately $55.6 billion, for the fiscal year starting in April. Officials indicate the final bill could be considerably larger and potentially reach 10 trillion yen as the government adopts new security and defense plans later this year. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is also preparing to launch a new military buildup plan.
These upgrades are intended to help Tokyo navigate growing tensions with neighbors, including China, North Korea, and Russia. Japan aims to transform its defense capacity and is adapting to Ukraine's style of warfare, particularly through the implementation of drones.
The budget request is focused on advanced weaponry and technology, featuring artificial intelligence for command and control and hypersonic underwater-launched missiles. While the Defense Ministry is seeking additional drones and missiles, the pace of these spending increases might look slow to Washington.