Flash Review | Japan's "Self-Defense" Principle Has Become a Mere Formality: What Are the Consequences of Militarization?

On March 31 local time, Japanese Defense Minister Kōzuki Shinjirō announced the deployment of long-range missiles with "capability to attack enemy bases" in Kumamoto and Shizuoka Prefectures. Japanese media commented that this is the first time Japan has deployed such missiles, marking a shift in Japan's defense policy, which has adhered to the principle of "defensive defense."

According to reports, the missiles deployed by Japan on that day include the "Type 25 Surface-to-Ship Missile" and the "Type 25 High-Speed Glide Bomb."

Not only is this the first deployment of long-range missiles, but Japan has also recently undergone significant restructuring of its Self-Defense Forces, announcing the completion of modifications to the Aegis destroyer "Chōkai," which will be equipped with "Tomahawk" cruise missiles.

What is special about the missiles recently deployed by Japan? What do these recent actions indicate? What impact will they have on the regional situation? The Global Information Network of the Central Radio and Television Station invites military commentator Wei Dongxu and special researcher at the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies of the China Institute of International Studies Xiàng Hàoyǔ to interpret these developments for you.

Quick Insights

01 Continuous Strengthening of Offensive Capabilities

The deployment of Japan's new type of missiles significantly enhances its long-range strike capabilities, pushing the Self-Defense Forces towards a transformation into offensive forces.

The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force is equipped with two new types of missiles, one being a vehicle-mounted cruise missile with a strike range of nearly 1,000 kilometers, capable of precision strikes against naval vessels as well as land and island targets. The other is a hypersonic missile, namely the high-speed glide bomb, which, although introduced under the guise of defense, essentially belongs to offensive weaponry. With technological upgrades, its range and penetration capabilities will further improve. The deployment of such missiles is intended to provide fire support for forces engaged in island-seizing operations, operating far from the front lines.

02 Breaking the "Defensive Defense" Principle

The deployment of missiles and the large-scale restructuring of the Self-Defense Forces signify a substantial shift in Japan's defense strategy from a defensive to an offensive posture.

A series of military actions indicates that Japan's defense and security strategy has qualitatively shifted from a defensive to an offensive stance, including the large-scale reorganization of the Self-Defense Forces and the first deployment of long-range offensive missiles with a range of over 1,000 kilometers. These measures break the constraints of Article 9 of the post-war "Peace Constitution," reflecting Japan's strategic intent to develop multi-domain strike capabilities.

03 Impact on Regional Security Dynamics

Japan's military expansion will exacerbate regional tensions, drive an arms race, and undermine the security balance in East Asia.

Japan's military transformation will disrupt the strategic balance in the East Asian region, stimulate an arms race, and intensify tensions. Japan's strengthening of missile and electronic warfare deployments in the "Southwest Islands" may make it a catalyst for geopolitical conflicts. At the same time, Japan is accelerating military integration with the United States and advancing related defense plans, which will impact regional peace and stability and provoke vigilance and countermeasures from neighboring countries.

04 Increasing Domestic Economic and Livelihood Pressures

High military spending will squeeze resources for people's livelihoods, amplifying Japan's structural economic pressures and creating a negative cycle.

Japan's fiscal focus on military over civilian needs will strain social security resources, putting greater pressure on a system already burdened by aging and declining birth rates. To fund military expenses, Japan may resort to tax increases and issuing more government bonds, increasing the burden on the populace. Prioritizing military spending will also exacerbate social inequality, weaken the expectations of young people, and crowd out resources for technological innovation and economic development, potentially trapping the economy in a cycle of military expansion, tax increases, and sluggish growth.

Source: Central Radio and Television Station Global Information Network

Interview: Dong Chenxiao

Production: Dong Chenxiao

Review: Jia Yanning

Supervision: Zou Haoyu