Beware! Japan Plans to Reform Air Self-Defense Force for "Cosmic Warfare"

[Global Times Special Correspondent Wang Hui] According to a report by the Japan Economic News on the 14th, the Japanese government plans to reorganize the Air Self-Defense Force into the "Aerospace Self-Defense Force" within the fiscal year 2026. This will be the first change in the name of the Self-Defense Forces since Japan established the Ground, Maritime, and Air Self-Defense Forces in 1954. The report states that this move aims to incorporate space into the operational domain of the Self-Defense Forces, thereby enhancing "defense capabilities." Experts analyze that this indicates Japan will further develop related capabilities such as space surveillance, which is worth noting.

Japanese media reports that the National Diet of Japan is reviewing a bill aimed at amending the Self-Defense Forces Law to reorganize the Self-Defense Forces. Once this bill is passed, "space" will be included in the main mission areas of the Air Self-Defense Force. Previously, the Japan Self-Defense Forces had formed a unit specifically responsible for space operations, which has gradually expanded, transforming from the "Space Operations Unit" in 2020 to the "Space Operations Group" in 2022, and further expanding to the "Space Operations Regiment" in March 2026, with personnel increasing from the initial 20 to 670. It is expected that in the fiscal year 2026, this unit will upgrade to the "Space Operations Group," with a scale of about 880 personnel.

Commander of the Japan "Space Operations Regiment" Ishii Hiroyuki stated that the main task of this regiment is to "protect the space infrastructure that supports daily life." Ishii noted that from a military perspective, attacks on Japanese or American satellites could disrupt missile defense capabilities and the deployment of fighter jets, "therefore, this unit is responsible for monitoring any suspicious activities."

Japanese media reports that the "Space Operations Regiment" is currently using equipment deployed in Yamaguchi Prefecture to monitor space debris and suspicious satellite movements. The Japan Economic News also mentioned that the U.S. "Space Force" has strong capabilities in collecting, analyzing, and assessing satellite-related information, and Japan can play a complementary role.         

Chen Yang, a visiting researcher at the Japan Research Center of Liaoning University, told the Global Times that this reorganization by Japan is not a simple name change; it is another dangerous trend of Japan's military power breaking boundaries. Japan may further develop capabilities in space surveillance, anti-satellite operations, and integrate them with the Japan-U.S. military alliance, which will bring new uncertainties to the security landscape of Northeast Asia.