Japan plans to rename ASDF, expand security scope to space

The Japanese government plans to rename the Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) as the "Air and Space Self-Defense Force" within fiscal 2026, further extending Japan's security framework into outer space, a move that has sparked concerns in Japan over military expansion, according to a report by the Nikkei.



The report published on Sunday said relevant legislation is currently under deliberation in parliament. If enacted, it would mark the first change in the names of Japan's Self-Defense Forces since the establishment of the Ground, Maritime and Air Self-Defense Forces in 1954.



The move is intended to formally designate space as one of the operational domains of the Self-Defense Forces, the report said, noting that the renaming would represent "not merely a change in title, but an important milestone in the expansion of Japan's security concept."



Japan has already established and steadily expanded units dedicated to space-related operations. The country's space force originated in 2020 with the launch of the Space Operations Squadron, which initially consisted of around 20 personnel.