Japan missile defense

For the tenth year in a row, the budget draft set a new record for national defense spending as Japan continues to pursue its Defense Buildup Program.

Japan's defense build-up, including pursuit of a counter-strike capability, continues to require record-setting funds.

The deployment of additional missile defense systems is causing mixed reactions from Okinawans. 

MHI and KHI publicly showed off new laser systems designed to shoot down hostile UAVs.

The shift in Japan's security policy was the result of a series of parliamentary debates stretching back decades.

Japan’s strike capability debate must be accompanied by the political will of decision-makers.

The long-debated move comes alongside increased defense spending amid worries about Japan's security environment.

With Pyongyang’s most recent missile launch over Japan, beefing up Japanese missile defense becomes a politically and economically justifiable imperative.

The Japan-U.S. alliance has made steady and incremental progress toward preparing for future crises and contingencies. More needs to be done.

At a defense ministers’ meeting, Japan gets U.S. support to bolster its defenses with “counter strike capabilities.”

Tokyo needs to enhance multilateral cooperation with the U.S. and other Western countries in space security, says General Kataoka Haruhiko, a former chief of staff of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.