Japan's New Defense Paper Signals Push Toward Military Power, Expert Warns
A Japanese defense white paper reflects the Takaichi administration's push toward conventional military power, says a Seoul-based expert.
Japan's latest defense white paper, released this week, signals that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government is advancing its goal of transforming the country into a conventional military power, according to a South Korean academic.
The document places renewed emphasis on "new ways of warfare" and "defense production and technology bases," while continuing to describe the regional security environment as "increasingly severe."
Yang Ki-ho, a professor of Japanese studies at Sungkonghoe University in Seoul, said the white paper carries a strong "Takaichi imprint" and aligns closely with the military expansion policies pursued since the prime minister took office last October.
"Overall, I believe Japan is moving toward becoming a more conventional military power alongside efforts to revise its constitution," Yang said.
He noted that after a decisive election victory, the Takaichi administration has more openly embraced the conservative agenda associated with former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. With a stable government, it has pushed ahead with security-related measures including proposed anti-espionage legislation, military expansion, revisions to key defense documents, and the establishment of a National Intelligence Bureau.
Yang said the new intelligence bureau and the revised defense strategy should be viewed as part of the same broader policy direction.
The professor also suggested that the government is leveraging external security concerns for domestic political gain. "The Takaichi administration's landslide election victory was achieved in part by emphasizing concerns over China," he said, adding that strained Japan-China relations have become an important source of support for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
From Seoul's perspective, Yang noted that Japan has consistently pushed for closer trilateral security cooperation with South Korea and the United States, and has repeatedly sought a bilateral Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) with Seoul — a proposal South Korea has declined.
"Given lingering historical grievances and public sentiment, as well as surviving victims of Japan's colonial rule, it remains politically difficult for South Korea to accept such an agreement," Yang said, highlighting a clear difference between the two countries' security positions.
He added that these concerns have already sparked growing public opposition within Japan itself, underscoring the domestic and regional challenges accompanying the Takaichi administration's security agenda.