“Tokyo’s evolution to a more active operational and strategic security partner comes amid China’s rapid military expansion, North Korea’s ongoing nuclear threat and the Russia-Ukraine war, which represent a ‘triple deterioration of the security environment,’ according to Hiroyasu Harada, chief analyst at Japan’s Network for Security Business and Technology. The result is a shift ‘from a posture of alliance dependency to one of operational parity and shared burden within the regional deterrence framework,’ he told FORUM.”
“More security spending is central to the transition, with the nation’s 2026 defense budget reaching a record $66.5 billion. The increased investment is spurring transformation of Japan’s defense-industrial base from startups to major contractors.”
“Beyond the Japan-U.S. alliance, Tokyo increasingly is helping build multilateral security networks and a broader deterrence architecture. The Quad partnership, which includes Australia, India, Japan and the U.S., has developed into an operational framework focusing on maritime security, critical technologies and cybersecurity. Simultaneously, Japan is negotiating to become the first non-NATO participant in the 32-member security alliance’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic.”