Inconsistent Words and Actions: Japan's "Shield" Conceals Offensive Ambitions

[Global Times Special Correspondent Chen Yang, Global Times Reporter Ma Jun] In response to the Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary's claim that Japan's "defensive defense" policy remains unchanged, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently specifically criticized Japan for its inconsistent words and actions regarding "remilitarization." Experts interviewed by the Global Times stated that the so-called "Shield" project, which the Japanese Ministry of Defense is currently promoting, is actually an attempt to develop offensive military capabilities under the guise of defense.

According to a recent report by the Australian Defense Magazine, the Japanese Ministry of Defense announced in May that it has selected a small attack drone to be included in the recently upgraded "Shield" project. The full name of the so-called "Shield" project is the "Synchronized, Hybrid, Integrated, and Enhanced Coastal Defense System" (SHIELD), which is listed as a priority project in the Japanese Ministry of Defense's 2026 defense budget documents.

Although the name sounds defensive, the "Shield" project actually aims to integrate various unmanned systems from the Ground, Maritime, and Air Self-Defense Forces to build a multi-domain integrated combat network covering air, sea, and underwater, with the goal of developing low-cost, expendable, and distributed "asymmetric strike capabilities." Reports indicate that the Japanese Ministry of Defense stated in a declaration that the small attack drone selected for the "Shield" project is one of three small attack drones in the project, tasked with "detecting, identifying, and quickly counterattacking targets, including vehicles." The proposal released by the Ground Self-Defense Force in 2023 describes this small attack drone as capable of "equipping warheads to directly attack targets" and meeting lightweight requirements, "able to be carried by frontline personnel," and possessing the ability to suppress "targets such as unarmored/non-mechanized infantry units."

The other two small drones are a portable lightweight unmanned attack aircraft capable of conducting long-range attacks on "ships and light armored vehicles" and a vehicle-mounted unmanned attack aircraft with long endurance capabilities. Currently, several Japanese companies are participating in related bidding, while Israel's "Harop" series drones and the U.S. "Switchblade" loitering munitions have also been included in Japan's procurement consideration list.

In addition to small attack drones, the "Shield" project also includes various long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles. On May 18, Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun revealed that the Japanese government is considering equipping the MQ-9B "SeaGuardian" long-endurance drone, which is being imported from the United States, with early warning radar systems.

At the same time, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force is developing anti-ship and intercepting unmanned aerial vehicles, with related models expected to achieve mass production and deployment by 2027. The Liberal Democratic Party of Japan is calling for rapid and large-scale procurement of intercepting drones, claiming that Japan needs to "not solely rely on expensive intercepting missiles" to respond to saturation attacks.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is also increasing its development and procurement of unmanned boats and unmanned underwater vehicles, for which the Ministry of Defense has specifically strengthened technical cooperation with Ukraine, which has rich experience in unmanned boat operations.

According to the Ministry of Defense's description of the "Shield" project, this ambitious project is expected to be deployed by April 2028, not only involving the mass procurement and equipping of unmanned combat equipment for land, sea, and air but also fully integrating them through a dedicated data network to form a unified command and control network.

The Australian Defense Magazine states that enhancing the Self-Defense Forces' unmanned combat capabilities has become a hot topic in Japan. Defense Minister Kōzuki Shinjirō announced at a House of Representatives Security Committee meeting in early May that Japan aims to become a "leader" in the application of military drones.

Experts interviewed by the Global Times stated that if the "Shield" project is ultimately realized, the Japan Self-Defense Forces will be equipped with a large number of unmanned combat platforms that can be deployed on the front lines. They are highly concealed, flexibly distributed, and possess various capabilities for reconnaissance, attack, and long-range strikes. For example, the "SeaGuardian" drone has a mission radius of over 2,000 kilometers and an endurance time of up to 40 hours, capable of providing real-time dynamics for long-range strike targets through a dedicated data link, in conjunction with Japan's newly introduced and deployed next-generation long-range offensive weapons, significantly compensating for Japan's insufficient reconnaissance capabilities. Additionally, various small reconnaissance drones can be flexibly deployed on the front lines, enabling the Self-Defense Forces to complete the "detection-strike" closed loop at greater distances, compressing response times and enhancing preemptive capabilities. Therefore, the large-scale deployment and integration of these unmanned systems in the "Shield" project will become a key component of Japan's offensive combat system.     

In response to the recent statement by Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Kihara Minoru that Japan's "defensive defense" policy remains unchanged, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated that rather than focusing on what Japan says, more attention should be paid to what Japan does. In recent years, the Japanese government has continuously expanded military spending, relaxed restrictions on the export of lethal weapons, frequently participated in military exercises, promoted the deployment of long-range missiles, developed so-called "counterstrike capabilities" that can take the initiative, stockpiled large amounts of sensitive nuclear materials, pushed for amendments to the pacifist constitution, and advocated becoming a "war-capable nation," continuously breaking through the constraints of international and domestic law. Is this really what it means to adhere to an unchanged "defensive defense" policy? Inconsistent words and actions cannot alleviate the international community's concerns about Japan's "remilitarization."