Japan to beef up its defence with drones, AI and missiles, defence budget plans show

TOKYO – Japan plans to use drones, artificial intelligence and new methods of warfare as it adapts its defence strategies to suit changing times, according to details of an 8.9 trillion yen (S$71 billion) budget request for the coming fiscal year disclosed by the Defence Ministry on Monday (Aug 31).The preliminary total is only a small increase from the 8.8 trillion yen defence budget requested for this fiscal year. It will be much higher eventually, but further details will come later this year after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government approves the new security and defence strategy aimed at strengthening Japan’s counterstrike capability.Under its five-year defence strategy set in 2022, Japan has doubled its defence spending to about two per cent of its gross domestic product to build up its Self-Defence Forces’ offensive role to counter China’s growing assertiveness. Beijing has criticised Japan’s defence buildup as “new militarism.”