By Mark Episkopos, Managing Editor, Center for Military Modernization
Japan’s Defense Ministry has requested its largest budget ever amid sharply declining bilateral relations with China and continued regional instability stoked by North Korea.
The new budget seeks to boost defense spending by around 12%, part of Japan’s plan to nearly double its defense spending to around $68 billion by fiscal year 2027. The plan apportions $2.6 billion for the construction of two Aegis system equipped vessels (ASEV’s). The two warships, which will boast a standard displacement of around 12,000 tons and be significantly larger in size than the Flight III Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, are expected to be delivered to the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) in 2027 and 2028 respectively. The forthcoming ASEV’s are expected to feature a similar armament setup as to the JMSDF’s Maya-class destroyers, including SM-3 anti-ballistic missiles and SM-6 surface-to-air missiles.
The budget will include $1.2 billion for the construction of two new FFM frigates with a more robust set of anti-submarine and anti-aircraft capabilities. Tokyo plans to acquire twelve such frigates, intended to improve upon the design of the JMSDF’s Mogami-class frigates. The new vessels, which will be bigger than the Mogami- class models, will reportedly carry improved ship-to-air guided missiles.
The new budget will support an ongoing renovation program to modify Japan’s Izumo and Kaga Izumo–class helicopter carriers into de-facto aircraft carriers capable of accommodating F-35B fifth-generation jet fighters. This tranche, which is valued at $290 million, will go toward reconfiguring the Izumo’s flight deck next year. The budget also includes just under $100 million for the development of a new electronic warfare aircraft based on the Kawasaki P-1, introduced in 2013.
The budget requests over $500 million for continued development and production of hypersonic guided missiles, as well as interceptors to counter hypersonic weapons. It was reported by Reuters earlier this month and later confirmed by the Pentagon that the U.S. and Japan are pursuing joint efforts to develop interceptor missiles intended to counter hypersonic threats from China, Russia, and North Korea. The particulars of what this project– which was the subject of negotiations between high-level U.S. and Japanese officials in January– entails have not yet been revealed.
The new Japanese defense budget allocates about $1.7 billion toward the purchase of sixteen additional F-35 fighters, consisting of eight conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) F-35A’s and eight short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35B’s intended for use with Japan’s converted aircraft carriers. Japan is on track to become the biggest F-35 operator outside of the United States, reflecting not only the country’s growing rearmament ambitions but the central role played by the F-35 in Japan’s emerging overall defense posture. Tokyo plans to acquire a total of 147 F-35’s, split between 105 F-35A’s and forty-two F-35B’s. Japan has decided to buy some F-35’s as components to be assembled at home instead of importing them wholesale, a move intended to support Japan’s local defense industry while reducing acquisition costs. The comparative cost estimates remain contested, with some assessments concluding that assembling F-35’s locally could be slightly or significantly more expensive than directly importing them.
Japan’s unprecedented defense investments are spurred in part by growing concerns over the looming threat of a Chinese attack on Taiwan, which may draw Tokyo– a close U.S. military ally– into a direct military confrontation with Beijing. Former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso urged Japan and the U.S. to stand firm in defending Taipei during a visit to Taiwan in August. “I believe that now is the time for Japan, Taiwan, the United States and other like-minded countries to be prepared to put into action very strong deterrence,” he said. “It’s the resolve to fight.”
Mark Episkopos is the new Managing Editor of the Center for Military Modernization. Episkopos is a journalist, researcher, and analyst writing on national security and international relations issues. He is also a Ph.D. candidate in history at American University.
