Japan Air Self-Defense Force Reorganized into "Aerospace Self-Defense Force" - Amendment to the Ministry of Defense Establishment Act Passed by House of Representatives Security Committee, Initiating Full-scale Organizational Transition in Space Domain

On April 24, 2026, in the House of Representatives Security Committee, a bill to amend the Ministry of Defense Establishment Act, which centers on reorganizing the Air Self-Defense Force into the "Aerospace Self-Defense Force," was passed with a majority of support from the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party. This amendment marks a historic turning point in Japan's defense system, positioning outer space as an independent operational domain and extending the traditional framework of air superiority into the space domain.

The background of this amendment lies in the rapid enhancement of China's military capabilities in space and the advancement of North Korea's ballistic missile technology. In 2021, China reorganized its Strategic Support Force to establish an independent Space Force, accelerating the development of satellite attack, electronic warfare, and orbital weapons. Additionally, Russia is also expected to re-establish its Space Force in 2024 and continue experiments with nuclear-capable orbital weapons. In response to these threats, the necessity to fundamentally strengthen Japan's space posture system has been pointed out for many years.

The current Air Self-Defense Force, while encompassing a space operations unit, has had its name limited to "air," leaving ambiguity regarding its organizational status in the space domain. With this renaming, missions such as space surveillance, protection of satellite communications, and situational awareness in orbit will be legally clarified as core responsibilities of the Air Self-Defense Force. The Ministry of Defense has established a Space Operations Group in the fiscal year 2023 and has deployed a Space Operations Squadron at the Defense Base in Hofu, Yamaguchi Prefecture, but after the renaming, an expansion of the authority and human resources of these units is expected.

The passage of this amendment in the House of Representatives is anticipated within this week, and it is expected to be enacted during this Diet session after examination in the House of Councillors. After its enactment, it is expected that the development of space domain experts, strengthening collaboration with the private space industry, and institutionalizing Japan-U.S. space cooperation will progress further. The joint document from the Japan-U.S. Security Consultative Committee, signed in 2023, agreed on enhancing information sharing and joint monitoring in the space domain, and the new structure of the Aerospace Self-Defense Force will serve as a pillar for its implementation.

On the same day, a noteworthy development occurred at the international maritime exhibition "Sea Japan 2026" being held at Tokyo Big Sight, where the Ministry of Defense unveiled a scale model of a new type of escort ship. The plan was indicated to end the construction of 12 Mogami-class escort ships and transition to an improved model. This new type of ship measures approximately 142 meters in length, 17 meters in width, and has a standard displacement of about 4,800 tons, significantly larger than the 3,900 tons of the Mogami-class. The most important change is that the missile vertical launch system has been doubled from 16 cells in the Mogami-class to 32 cells. While the Mogami-class was limited to the operation of the Type 07 vertical launch torpedo launching rocket, the new model will also allow for the operation of surface-to-air missiles, and it is anticipated to be equipped with an improved version of the Type 12 surface-to-ship guided missile capability.

The first and second ships of the new type FFM are aimed to be commissioned by the fiscal year 2028, and the Ministry of Defense plans to procure a total of 12 ships. Additionally, there are ongoing plans to export this new type of FFM-based frigate to Australia, which will serve as an important test case for Japan's defense equipment transfer policy. The model display shows that changes have been made to the shape of the multi-function radar and the design of the unicorn antenna compared to what was exhibited by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries at DSEI Japan 2025, indicating that the design is in its final stages.

Furthermore, at the Ground Self-Defense Force's Hibiki Training Area in Oita Prefecture, movements surrounding live-fire training by the U.S. Marine Corps stationed in Okinawa continue. On April 21, the Kyushu Defense Bureau conveyed to local residents during a closed briefing that the U.S. military intends to use four new types of anti-armor vehicle weapons, including mortars and rocket launchers. Concerns have been raised by locals regarding the addition of these weapons to the existing 155mm howitzers and rifles, fearing an expansion of future training scales.

In particular, at the Hibiki Training Area, an accident occurred on April 22 when a shell exploded inside a tank, resulting in the tragic deaths of three personnel and injuries to one. The cause of the accident is currently under investigation, and the use of the training area has been suspended until April 26. This incident has further deepened local distrust regarding the safety of live-fire training between Japan and the U.S.

In the spring of 2026, Japan's defense landscape is simultaneously facing significant transformations in the three domains of space, maritime, and land. The establishment of the Aerospace Self-Defense Force represents a fundamental reform of the organization, the construction of the new type FFM symbolizes a qualitative enhancement of maritime capabilities, and the Hibiki accident and the expansion of U.S. military training highlight the challenge of balancing security enhancement with local burdens. These developments indicate that the implementation phase of the national security strategy formulated at the end of 2022 has begun, and the government's ability will be tested in both the concrete realization of policies and the formation of social consensus moving forward.