Japan casts military buildup as path to economic prosperity

Japan's government is portraying its accelerating military buildup not only as a way to protect the country but as a route to greater prosperity, arguing in its latest defence white paper that arms production can support economic growth.



The annual assessment of threats posed by neighbouring China, Russia and North Korea calls for Japan, constrained for decades by postwar restrictions on military activity, to harness technology, to fund startups and use more commercial components in weapons production.



The white paper "stresses that investment in defence benefits the wider economy and people's lives," according to a Defence Ministry presentation document. That message aligns with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's broader use of strategic state spending in an effort to drive economic growth.



The pitch is reinforced by the document's anime-style cover, which depicts a smiling family in a gleaming cityscape rather than the troops, weapons and military insignia featured on many previous editions. A Defence Ministry official said the design was intended to convey a "futuristic image".



The link between defence and future prosperity comes as Takaichi's administration prepares a new national security strategy. Military experts expect it to call for further spending increases aimed primarily at deterring China from starting a conflict with Taiwan that could also draw Japan into a prolonged war.