Building Up Defense Capability

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi argues that the Lower House election on February 8th will be a referendum for her premiership. She advocates mobilization of national budget represented by her slogan, “responsible and proactive public finances,” and nationalistic foreign and security policies called “strong Japan.” She is going to build up security capability of Japan through accumulation of defense budget, if she is reelected as the prime minister in the general election. 

In her speech at extraordinary session of the Diet last fall, Takaichi proposed revision of defense plan to increase defense budget to the level of over 2 percent of GDP beyond the line drawn by former prime minister Fumio Kishida, which would be raised up to 2 percent by FY2027. It was stemming from request of the United States. U.S. National Defense Strategy demands its allies 5 percent of defense spending, which would be broken down to 3.5 percent for core military spending and 1.5 percent for other security-related spending. While Takaichi hopes to include the budgetary surge in FY2027 budget request, it is not clear that “over 2 percent” will be enough.

 

Takaichi also aims at deregulating Japan’s export of defense equipment. She connects economic policies with security enhancement by encouraging investment on defense businesses. Takaichi administration believes that exports of defense equipment will contribute to further economic growth of Japan. Takaichi is mitigating Japan’s traditional regulative policy for taking distance from international military competition, with requirement of pacifist constitution, as she considers revision of three non-nuclear principles.

 

The Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA) is making difference with its restrictive stance on defense policy, focusing on pacifism, as well as taking care of every walk of life. The top opposition party demands the government to have closer dialogue with China, taking account of Takaichi’s weakness in building constructive relationship with Beijing, brought by her careless speech on “Taiwan contingency.”

 

Takaichi also upholds enhancement of intelligence. Not only establishing “National Intelligence Bureau” by integrating sections on information in the government, she is going to build a new organization that will be close to Central Intelligence Agency of the United States. That is the policy LDP’s coalition partner, Japan Innovation Party, has been supporting.

 

While some opposition parties approve stronger control of delicate information, the CRA is doubtful in management of the government on privacy. It is a great concern that the government is going to disturb people’s freedom of expression. The LDP administration has been blocked against promotion of greater power of the government to intervene people’s privacy through establishment of anti-spy legislation for decades. Japanese government has not been good at setting regulations for controlling sensitive information without violating human rights of the people.

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