Japan’s defence build-up is essential to deter conflict in the Indo-Pacific, the country’s defence minister has said in an interview with the BBC. Speaking from Tokyo, Minister Taro Kono described the acceleration of military spending as a necessary response to an increasingly volatile regional security environment. He cited North Korea’s missile programme and China’s assertiveness in the East and South China Seas as primary drivers of Tokyo’s strategic recalibration.
The minister’s remarks come as Japan prepares to double its defence budget to 2 per cent of GDP by 2027, a move that would mark the most significant expansion of the country’s military capabilities since the Second World War. The plan, approved by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s cabinet, includes the acquisition of long-range missiles, enhanced cyber defences, and a more robust naval presence.
Kono emphasised that the build-up is purely defensive, intended to prevent conflict rather than provoke it. “Deterrence is not aggression,” he said. “By strengthening our capabilities, we send a clear message that any act of war would be met with an effective response.” He acknowledged that the shift represents a departure from Japan’s post-war pacifist constitution but argued that the threat landscape necessitated change.
Analysts have noted that Japan’s moves align with broader trends in the region. Australia, South Korea, and members of NATO have all increased defence spending in recent years. The United States, Japan’s key ally, has welcomed Tokyo’s commitment, viewing it as a bolster to the alliance’s collective deterrence posture.
However, the build-up has drawn sharp criticism from China and North Korea. Beijing’s foreign ministry accused Japan of “weaponising history” and stoking regional tensions. North Korea’s state media denounced the plan as a step towards remilitarisation. Domestically, opposition parties and pacifist groups have expressed concern, arguing that Japan risks being drawn into conflicts that could have been avoided through diplomatic engagement.
Kono countered these concerns by stating that diplomacy remains central to Japan’s foreign policy. “We are not choosing between defence and diplomacy,” he said. “We are strengthening both. A credible deterrent gives us more leverage in negotiations, not less.” He pointed to recent high-level talks with South Korea and ongoing dialogue with China as evidence of Tokyo’s commitment to peaceful resolution of disputes.
The interview forms part of a BBC series examining global security realignments. Japan’s defence policy shift is widely seen as a bellwether for other nations grappling with the erosion of the post-cold war order. As one senior diplomat put it, “The question is no longer whether nations are rearming, but how quickly and to what end.” For now, Tokyo’s answer is clear: faster and further than at any point in the last seven decades.
