Japan’s Cabinet has approved a record defence budget of more than 58 billion US dollars for the coming year. With this budget, Japan plans to strengthen its military, especially its ability to strike back in case of attack and to protect its coastal areas. The country will invest in cruise missiles and unmanned weapons as regional tensions continue to rise.
The draft defence budget for the 2026 financial year, which begins in April, is 9.4% higher than the 2025 budget. This is the fourth year of Japan’s five-year plan to double its defence spending to 2% of its gross domestic product (GDP).
Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said the country is determined to strengthen its military and protect its people, as Japan is facing its most serious and complex security challenges since World War II.
The increase in defence spending comes amid growing tensions with China. In November, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Japan’s military could get involved if China takes action against Taiwan, the self-governing island that China claims as its own.