Defense White Paper Focuses on New Ways of Warfare

Ministry of Defense (MOD) released 2026 Defense of Japan, or Defense White Paper, on August 4th. Reflecting Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s signature policy called “crisis management investment,” the paper stressed development of measures to deal with “new ways of warfare,” which encourages investment on new technologies for sustainability in warfare. Dealing with China’s advance is major focus for Japan’s defense strategy.

In opening statement of the white paper, Minister of Defense Shinjiro Koizumi stresses severity of security environment surrounding Japan, as former defense leaders have been referring to. “Drawing lessons from Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, countries around the world are quickly preparing for ‘new ways of warfare,’ such as mass employment of unmanned assets, as well as getting ready for prolonged conflicts,” says Koizumi. In short, Japan hopes to be ready for new type of warfare, because other countries are doing it.

 

The white paper recognizes the space, cyber and electromagnetic domains as critical enablers of new ways of warfare. It says that satellites are used to strengthen command, control, communications and intelligence, as well as surveillance and reconnaissance, that cyberattacks pose serious security threat, and that electromagnetic spectrum management have become important in modern operations.

 

One thing needed to deal with that modern warfare, according to the white paper, is domestic procurement of defense equipment. “In order to acquire defense equipment required to achieve uniquely Japanese new ways of defense based on the new ways of warfare, the use of our domestic technologies is extremely important,” the paper describes. It argues that reinforcing defense capabilities forms fundamental basis of the lives of the citizens and such a stable security environment is indispensable for economic growth. It implies that Japan needs to produce defense equipment for its own economy.

 

Another element to manage new ways of warfare is to reinforce cooperation with allied and like-minded countries. Based on the notion that support of the United States and European countries ensures Ukraine’s sustained operational capability, the white paper expects seamless coordination with U.S. forces in an emergency. The paper also hopes to promote multilateral and multilayered defense cooperation with like-minded countries throughout Indo-Pacific region.

 

Considering “severe security environment” around Japan, the paper points out growing pressure from China, with which Prime Minister Takaichi exacerbated bilateral relationship. “China’s external posture, military activities, and other activities are a matter of serious concern for Japan and the international community and present an unprecedented and the greatest strategic challenge,” the paper says. It acknowledges that China’s joint activities with Russia and North Korea pose a grave concern.

 

However, the white paper’s willingness to be ready for possible warfare indicates a major conceptual change in Japan’s defense strategy. Japan has renounced war as means of settling international conflict in its constitution. Nevertheless, Takaichi administration prepares for new ways of warfare as means for revitalizing Japan’s economy, regardless how countries around Japan will respond to that. This way of thinking can be paralleled with that of pre-war leaders who thought that war was inevitable for its own survival.