Japan’s Defense Ministry requests record $55.6 billion to fund ‘new ways of fighting’

TOKYO — Japan’s Defense Ministry on Monday asked for a record-high 8.9 trillion yen for the coming fiscal year, about $55.6 billion, with the cost of about 100 items left blank.

The proposed spending plan — the 15th consecutive yearly increase — seeks an outlay for “new ways of fighting,” including artificial intelligence, unmanned vehicles and further spending on standoff missiles.

The request focuses on three main pillars of Japan’s deterrence and response capabilities for the coming fiscal year, which begins in April.

Along with AI, unmanned systems and missiles, the budget aims to build sustained response capabilities for prolonged conflicts and a stronger base for defense equipment acquisition and support.

The Japanese government is scheduled to revise its three key national security documents by year’s end, and some items are listed without costs in the event they change with the revisions, according to the budget document.

“Projects that are considered likely to be affected by the revisions to the three key documents currently under consideration will be treated as ‘requests for items,’ to be deliberated during the budget formulation process,” the budget request said.

Japan is in the fourth year of a five-year defense buildup that began in 2022. The plan calls for a gradual increase in spending to a total of about $268.5 billion.

The government reached its goal of spending 2% of gross domestic product on defense in fiscal 2025, two years ahead of schedule.

Next year’s budget request emphasizes acquisition and development of attack drones, the request states. The ministry hopes to develop drones to be used with stand-off missiles that can be mass produced in a short amount of time at low cost.

“We will aim to transform into the world’s leading organization in the utilization of unmanned assets,” the request states.

It also seeks to establish an AI-supported decision-making process for Joint Operations Command, and AI-enhanced video analysis to enhance surveillance capabilities and reduce the need for manpower and labor.

The year-old joint command unifies the Self-Defense Forces at the command level, manages emergency responses and coordinates with U.S. Forces Japan.

Other spending priorities include strengthening the production and technological foundations for defense equipment and improving quality of life for Self-Defense Force personnel.

It also requested funding without listing a specific amount for realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, such as the relocation of Marines to Guam and the relocation of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to another site on Okinawa.

It included about $1.4 billion to be used for USFJ operations, including the costs of Japanese workers and base utilities.