Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced plans to revise the nation's pacifist security framework during her parliamentary address on Friday, framing the proposed changes as necessary to address what she described as "growing Chinese coercion." The speech marked her first major policy declaration since securing reelection earlier this year.
While acknowledging the Chinese mainland as "an important neighboring country," Takaichi emphasized the need to strengthen Japan's military capabilities through revised security documents originally established in 2013. The proposed updates aim to accelerate defense spending growth to 2% of GDP by 2027 and expand arms export regulations to permit international sales of lethal weapons systems.
The policy shift would reinterpret Japan's "exclusively defense-oriented" posture to include counterstrike capabilities through long-range missile development. Analysts suggest this could enable preemptive strikes against foreign bases under specific threat scenarios – a significant departure from post-WWII principles.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi addressed concerns about regional militarization during the 62nd Munich Security Conference on February 14, warning against "dangerous trends" in Japan's security strategy. Beijing has repeatedly criticized Takaichi's administration for linking cross-strait relations to Japan's national security framework.
The proposed changes follow November 2025 remarks by Takaichi that characterized Taiwan-related scenarios as potential "existential crises" for Japan – statements Chinese officials condemned as violations of sovereignty and the post-war international order.
