Major outlays are being planned for drones, AI-enabled command systems, long-range missiles and support for the domestic defence industry
3-MIN READ3-MIN ListenJulian RyallPublished: 5:15pm, 21 Aug 2026Japan is preparing to spend more than ever on defence as analysts say Tokyo is being forced to respond to a convergence of regional threats, fast-changing military technology and growing uncertainty over the reliability of the US security umbrella.The defence ministry is preparing to request a record budget of 8.9 trillion yen (US$56.1 billion) for the 2027 financial year, with major outlays planned for drones, AI-enabled command systems, long-range missiles and support for Japan’s domestic defence industry.
The request comes as three key national security documents are being reviewed, with updated position papers due before the end of the year, raising expectations that spending could grow even further.
Analysts say Japan’s rising defence spending reflects several factors that have emerged since the current defence build-up programme, covering 2023 to 2027, was unveiled.
These include a deteriorating security situation in the Indo-Pacific region, lessons learned from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, fading confidence in the US as a reliable security partner and a recognition that Japan needs to do more to guarantee its own safety.
“The US has, since last year, been aggressively pushing allies not only in Nato but also here in the Asia-Pacific region to significantly increase their defence spending,” William Yang, a Taiwan-based analyst for the International Crisis Group, told This Week in Asia.
