The following is the 2024 Defense of Japan white paper that was issued by the Ministry of Defense.
From the report
The international community has entered a new era of crisis. It is now facing its greatest trial since the end of World War II. The existing order is being seriously challenged. Japan finds itself in the most severe and complex security environment of the post-war era.
China has been rapidly building up military capabilities while intensifying its activities in the East China Sea, where the waters surrounding the Senkaku Islands are, as well as in the Pacific.
North Korea has been advancing its nuclear and missile development and pushing ahead with the launch of ballistic missiles and others. Russia has been conducting intensive military activities in the Far East encompassing the Northern Territories, while continuing its aggression against Ukraine. Russia has also been observed engaging in joint activities with China involving aircraft and vessels.
Amidst the most severe and complex security environment since the end of World War II, the Ministry of Defense (MOD) and the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) are committed to protecting the lives and peaceful livelihoods of Japanese people and defending Japan’s territorial land, waters and airspace to the end. In fulfillment of these missions, the MOD/SDF will drive the implementation of policies expressed in the National Security Strategy of Japan, the National Defense Strategy, and the Defense Buildup Program.
These policies consist of three major objectives. The first one is to steadily actualize a fundamental reinforcement of defense capabilities of Japan. Building future core defense capabilities such as stand-off and IAMD (Integrated Air and Missile Defense) must be prioritized.
Therefore, Japan is going to acquire various types of stand-off missiles earlier than originally planned, including Tomahawk missiles and the ground-launched version of upgraded Type-12 surface-to-ship missiles. Japan will expedite the start of the construction of Aegis System Equipped Vessels to defend herself from increasingly sophisticated ballistic missiles and other threats. Enhancing sustainability and resiliency is another important task. Japan will thus proceed to improve the operational availability of equipment, secure sufficient ammunition and guided missiles, and promote focused investments to improve the resiliency of defense facilities.
The second major objective is to cooperate with our ally, like-minded countries, and other partners. No country can now protect her own security alone. As challenges to the existing international order continue, it is critical for Japan to deepen cooperation and collaboration with our ally, like-minded countries, and other partners with whom Japan shares universal values and strategic interests.
The Alliance with the United States is the cornerstone of our national security policy. Japan will steadily implement concrete measures to enhance the deterrence and response capabilities of the Japan-U.S. Alliance.
At the same time, it is important for Japan to enhance cooperation with like-minded countries and other partners to ensure peace and stability of the region. Japan will implement measures which contribute to realizing the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”. To this end, Japan will proactively promote multilateral and multilayered defense cooperation and exchanges, such as bilateral/multilateral exercises and defense equipment and technology cooperation, taking into account characteristics and other factors of the region and each country. Such cooperation is represented by the joint development of next-generation fighter aircraft. This joint development aims to enhance the performance of fighters, which constitutes the core defense capability of Japan. It will serve to the world a basis of security, stability, and prosperity over the coming decades.
There has also been progress in multilateral cooperation centering on Japan and the United States. Last December, Japan, the United States and the Republic of Korea began the operation of the realtime sharing of missile warning data on North Korea. Around that time, the Australian Defence Force participated for the first time in two Japan-U.S. bilateral command post exercises: “Keen Edge” and “Yama Sakura.” Japan will promote such cooperation.
The third major objective is to reinforce our human resource base, which is an urgent one. As Japan is in a midst of serious labor shortages, there is an increasingly fierce competition to secure human resources. SDF personnel constitutes the core element of defense capabilities of Japan. To procure excellent human resources in the competitive recruiting environment, we will take all necessary measures to reinforce our human resource base without ruling out any options. These consist of the enhancement of SDF recruitment capabilities, the effective use of human resources, the improvement of living and working environments, and the reformation of remuneration systems.
Harassment has no place in the MOD/SDF, as an organization where people matter. Recognizing that harassment damages the mutual trust among SDF personnel and shakes the very foundation of the entire organization, we will continue to create a working environment of zero tolerance for harassment of any kind by implementing effective harassment prevention measures.
“Defense of Japan 2024″ describes the security environment surrounding Japan and the efforts of the MOD/SDF as have been outlined above. In particular, we took care to comprehensively explain our progress towards the fundamental reinforcement of defense capabilities of Japan; or in other words, how Japan’s defense and deterrence capabilities have been taking stable steps towards reinforcement. The year 2024 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the SDF, and ”Defense of Japan 2024” is the 50th commemorative issue of Japan Defense White Paper. The opening pages touch upon the 70-year history of the SDF as a special feature article.
Efforts of the MOD/SDF, including the fundamental reinforcement of defense capabilities, would not be made possible without the understanding and support by the Japanese people and countries around the world. I hope this white paper will help as many readers as possible to facilitate a better comprehension of the security environment surrounding Japan and the efforts made by the MOD/SDF.
Download the document here.
