Tokyo: Sanae Takaichi has delivered a post-election address to parliament outlining plans to strengthen Japan’s defence posture and economic security. The Sanae Takaichi administration has warned of increasing pressure from China and has pledged to revise national security policies and reinforce supply chains.
The prime minister has described the current environment as Japan’s most complex security situation since the Second World War, citing expanding Chinese military activity, closer cooperation between China and Russia and North Korea’s advancing missile capabilities. The government has committed to updating three key national security documents this year to shape a new defence strategy.
Takaichi has also proposed easing restrictions on military exports to allow Japanese companies to sell a broader range of defence equipment overseas. A policy panel within the Liberal Democratic Party has suggested removing limits that currently restrict exports to non-lethal items such as protective gear, a change that could expand opportunities for defence firms.
With the ruling coalition holding more than two-thirds of seats in parliament following the latest election, the administration has faced limited political resistance. The government has also accelerated a military build-up launched in 2023, aiming to double defence spending to 2 percent of gross domestic product by the end of March, positioning Japan among the world’s largest military spenders despite constitutional constraints.
Plans have been announced to establish a national intelligence council chaired by the prime minister to improve coordination across agencies including police and defence authorities. Japan has lacked a centralised intelligence structure comparable to agencies such as the United States Central Intelligence Agency or Britain’s MI5.
Beyond defence, the government has proposed screening foreign investment in sensitive sectors through a new framework similar to the United States Committee on Foreign Investment. Measures have also included reviewing foreign land purchases and strengthening access to critical materials such as rare earths around Minamitori island. Takaichi has additionally pledged to accelerate the restart of nuclear reactors that were idled after the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
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