Naval News – The Japanese Ministry of Defense on December 19 announced it has secured $2.59 billion for fiscal year 2024 from the Ministry of Finance to build two Aegis System Equipped Vessels, which are alternatives to Japan’s now-scrapped plan for a land-based Aegis Ashore ballistic missile defense system.

Defense News – Japan, South Korea and the U.S. should mirror the AUKUS framework between Australia, the United Kingdom and the U.S. to create a multinational guided-missile destroyer construction program.

USNI News – One of Japan’s largest warships is heading to the East Coast next year to conduct a series of F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter trials next year

Naval News – Japan will acquire a total of 12 new FFMs in five years from 2024 to 2028 at a very high pace, which reflects the increasingly severe security environment surrounding Japan.

Naval News – Japan’s Ministry of Defense has announced the future equipment on which it will invest in research and development work over the next few years. The information came out in the recently published defense budget request. This article introduces some of them, especially those related to the naval domain.

Naval News – As the first batch of Japanese F-35Bs should arrive in country next year, Japan is also planning on setting up new key units and facilities in preparation for their arrival and to support its future carrier operations.

Naval News – On September 5, 2023, a V-22, the most advanced transport aircraft of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force landed for the first time on the helicopter destroyer JS Ise of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

War Zone – Japan moves away from procuring dedicated missile defense ships, opting for a multi-role, cruiser-like design that focuses on that mission.

Naval News – The Japanese Ministry of Defense (MoD) on August 31 requested $52.9 billion (7.7 trillion yen) for fiscal year 2024, its largest ever defense budget request. Plans include the construction of two ASEVs and two new FFMs.

Naval News – Japan’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced the selection of two contractors for the design and production of a new FFM variant to be delivered to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

1945 – Japan’s Ministry of Defense uses annual white papers to survey the country’s strategic surroundings and explain how it means to manage them. Its latest such survey shows Tokyo upping its game vis-à-vis China in a major way. 

Japanese Ministry of Defense – Latest White Paper from the Japanese MOD.

Naval News – In its latest defense white paper, the Japanese Ministry of Defense has unveiled a new image of the Aegis system equipped vessel (ASEV), which appears similar to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s existing Aegis-equipped destroyers in terms of the shape of the ship and the configuration of the main armament.

War on the Rocks – Japanese leaders have already begun internalizing key lessons from Ukraine. As shown in a triad of strategic documents released last December, Tokyo is ramping up spending on munition stocks, maintenance, and base hardening and readiness, as well as making new investments across all domains. But despite this, Japanese officials are silent on whether they are preparing for a short conflict or a long one. This matters because, as the Ukrainian war demonstrates, a protracted struggle could require different plans from the ones Japan is possibly making.

War Zone – Japan has kicked off a project to field a new coastal, anti-ship cruise missile as part of the country’s Defense Buildup Program. The “new SSM [surface-to-ship missile]” represents one of many new missile projects, including hypersonic missiles, recently announced by Japan’s Ministry of Defense specifically for “island defense.” It’s likely the new missile will be used on Japan’s southern islands, including around the Senkakus, to deter Chinese military aggression against what is known as the First Island Chain.

War Zone – Leaving the dock where conversion work has been underway represents a big step forward in turning the JS Kaga into an F-35B carrier.

CIMSEC – Japan’s coast guard reforms and innovations offer several lessons for how the USCG can more effectively counter gray zone activities and best take advantage of the quickly growing partnership between the two forces as well as between the USCG and the JMSDF. 

Naval News – Japan’s ATLA (Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency) showcased for the first time the design of its XLUUV.

War on the Rocks – At this juncture, Japan’s new strategies envision a refashioned Ground Self-Defense Force which will be more cross-domain, lethal, mobile, and survivable. As such, it will better support joint and bilateral operations with the U.S. military along the first island chain. Given its evolving roles and missions, the Ground Self-Defense Force has the opportunity to take the lead in the endeavor to modernize the alliance.

War on the Rocks – Japan’s new strategic documents appear to demonstrate a recognition in Tokyo that it must do more for its own defense in the face of unprecedented security challenges. The dedication of resources, pursuit of new capabilities, and overarching commitment to a more robust defense are all significant moves that represent landmark change by one of America’s key allies — indeed, one of the most consequential strategic developments in the region in years. As positive as this appears, there is a risk that some ambitions may not be realized — at least on the timeline set out in the documents — due to insufficient resources, manpower, technology, or political will.

USNI News – Japan’s Ministry of Defense this week issued a document detailing new military equipment it’s developing, with rationales and status updates for programs ranging from hypersonic weapons to unmanned underwater vehicles.

1945 – James Holmes writes that more musclebound Japan Self-Defense Forces capable of defending the homeland on their own can restore some semblance of sanctuary in the Western Pacific, bolstering the alliance’s ability to vanquish cross-strait aggression. Japan guards the base while U.S. forces go abroad—sounds like an excellent division of labor.

War on the Rocks – Throughout the Cold War, the United States and Japan focused on the threat from the Soviet Union, but with tensions increasing around Taiwan, Tokyo has turned to its south, adopting principles that former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pushed for before his death. 

Naval News – On December 16, 2022, the Japanese government approved three security-related documents, including a new national security strategy by Cabinet decision.

Naval News – Modification work to turn JS Kaga, a “helicopter destroyer” of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), into a F-35B aircraft carrier is nearing completion.