Japan has embarked on a historic military build-up in its boldest departure from the pacifist stance adopted at the end of the second world war. But one crucial question remains unresolved: who will be asked to shoulder the greater burden, households or companies?
Tokyo plans to acquire Tomahawk cruise missiles from the US, develop its own long-range cruise missiles and beef up cyber defences to address the threat of an increasingly aggressive China, according to people involved in discussions surrounding Japan’s new national security strategy.
The decision to significantly expand military spending has broad public support after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine crystallised fears of a possible conflict in Taiwan. Historically, public resistance to raising defence spending has been grounded in Japan’s constitution, whose Article 9 “peace clause” renounces the threat or use of force in settling international disputes.