The publication of a new defense paper signals the administration of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi could be advancing its aim to push Japan towards becoming a conventional military power as part of its constitution revision efforts, a professor from the Republic of Korea (ROK) has warned.
Japan's defense ministry on Tuesday released its 2026 defense white paper, a report that places greater emphasis on "new ways of warfare" and "defense production and technology bases," while continuing to portray the regional security environment as "increasingly severe".
Analysts believe the new white paper reflects the strategic priorities of the Takaichi administration and appears to lay out a roadmap for sustained military expansion through measures such as transforming its operational systems and expanding its defense industry.
Professor Yang Ki-ho from the department of Japanese Studies at the Sungkonghoe University in Seoul described the white paper as carrying a strong "Takaichi imprint," noting that its contents align closely with the military expansion policies promoted since she took office last October.
"Overall, I believe Japan is moving toward becoming a more conventional military power alongside efforts to revise its constitution. Since winning a decisive victory in the last general election, the Takaichi administration has more openly embraced the conservative agenda associated with former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. With a stable government, it has been pushing ahead with a series of security-related measures, including proposed anti-espionage legislation, military expansion, revisions to Japan's key defense documents, and the establishment of a National Intelligence Bureau. In that context, the new intelligence bureau and the revised defense strategy should be seen as part of the same broader policy direction," he said.
Like previous editions, the year's paper continues to hype up "external threats," stoke bloc confrontation, and stress deeper defense cooperation with "like-minded nations." According to Yang, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is leveraging external security concerns to shore up domestic political support.
"The Takaichi administration's landslide election victory was achieved in part by emphasizing concerns over China. At the same time, strained Japan-China relations have become an important source of political support for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the current government." Yang said.
From the perspective of the Republic of Korea, Yang noted that Japan has consistently called for closer trilateral security cooperation with the ROK and the U.S., and that it has also repeatedly sought a bilateral Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) with Seoul, a proposal that the ROK side has declined.
"Given lingering historical grievances and public sentiment, as well as surviving victims of Japan's colonial rule, it remains politically difficult for South Korea to accept such an agreement. That highlights one of the clearest differences between Seoul's and Tokyo's security positions," said the professor.
Yang added that those concerns have already sparked growing public opposition within Japan itself, underscoring the domestic and regional challenges accompanying the Takaichi administration's security agenda.
Takaichi gov't pushing Japan towards militarism amid constitution revision efforts: expert
