Analysis of Key Issues in Japan's National Security: Considering the strengthening of the defense foundation and the sustainability of defense capabilities

Table of Contents

[Doubling Defense Spending Alone Will Not Solve the Problem]
With the invasion of Ukraine, the possibility of a Taiwan contingency, and the North Korea issue, Japan is being forced to reconsider its national defense policy. The government has decided to double defense spending as a percentage of GDP, but considering the future of the ongoing transformation of the international order, the challenges facing national defense policy issues are not merely a matter of funding. As the population continues to decline rapidly, it is necessary to address issues such as how to deal with the shortage of Self-Defense Force (SDF) personnel and how to approach the nuclear issue. This book is led primarily by members of the National Power Study Group and the Akiyama Study Group, both of which are held at the Kajima Institute of International Peace, and it outlines and presents the issues surrounding 17 items that are unavoidable in building a national security system.

Issue 1: Addressing the Shortage of SDF Personnel
Issue 2: Procuring Financial Resources for Contingencies
Issue 3: Dealing with the Issues of Nuclear Deterrence, Arms Control and Disarmament
Issue 4: What Should Japan's Options Be in Nuclear Sharing and Extended Deterrence?
Issue 5: Dealing with a Taiwan Contingency and Occupation of the Senkaku Islands
Issue 6: How Should the Japan-U.S. Alliance be Strengthened
Issue 7: Responding to the Enhancement of Security Cooperation with Europe and Other Countries
Issue 8: Procuring Energy Resources and Food in Peacetime and in Case of Emergency
Issue 9: Preparing for Nuclear Weapon Attacks and Military Attacks on Nuclear Facilities
Issue 10: Developing the Defense Industry (Japanese version of DARPA)
Issue 11: What Kind of Public Awareness Necessary to Support National Security
Issue 12: Defending Space, Cyberspace, and the Electromagnetic Domain
Issue 13: Addressing the Impact of Climate Change on Facilities, Equipment, and Operations
Issue 14: Utilizing Advanced Technology for Defense
Issue 15: Is Japan's Intelligence Capability Sufficient?
Issue 16: How Should Economics and Security be Balanced in Economic Security
Issue 17: How Should Legislation Related to the SDF be Restructured