SINGAPORE — Japan’s defense ministry is set to continue its trend of record-high defense budgets year-on-year, requesting 8.89 trillion yen ($55.6 billion) in its latest budget proposal.
Among the new kinds of weapons Japan is seeking are Northrop Grumman’s AGM-88G Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile-Extended Range (AARGM-ER), marking the first time Japan has said it’s keen on acquiring a dedicated anti-radar missile.
The ministry published its annual budget request on Monday for the coming fiscal year, which would start in April. Unlike previous years, the numbers and procurement costs for many of the items listed in the request were not included, likely because Japan has not yet released three key national security documents — the National Security Strategy, the National Defense Strategy, and the Defense Buildup Program — that will confirm the country’s procurement priorities and the numbers of platforms it will be acquiring. Those documents are expected later this year.
As such, the budget only flags the acquisition of platforms, such as additional Lockheed Martin F-35 fifth-generation fighters, Boeing KC-46 tankers, Kawasaki C-2 transport and P-1 anti-submarine aircraft, and improved Mogami-class frigates over the coming fiscal year, without revealing numbers or costs for each item.
Nevertheless, the document, which was only released in Japanese, provides insight into Japan’s military priorities, including a preference for acquiring stand-off missiles, drones and AI among its key pillars for defense.
In addition to AARGM-ER missiles, the budget also seeks to purchase new, unspecified low-cost cruise missiles. Those weapons will comprise of a mix of systems acquired from overseas, and will be followed by the development of a domestic equivalent, according to the budget request.
The budget request also floated the acquisition of a submarine-launched guided missile with 16.3 billion yen earmarked for the program, along with the development of a stand-off missile launch module for unmanned underwater vehicles.
Japan will also seek to develop its existing ASM-3 supersonic air-launched anti-ship missile into a long-range air-to-air weapon, according to the budget request. Japan wants to join China, Russia and the US in developing such weapons to counter adversaries with high-value air assets, such as airborne early warning aircraft and tanker aircraft.
Unmanned aircraft also feature prominently in this year’s budget request, with 292.2 billion yen requested to acquire 17 more General Atomics MQ-9B SeaGuardian Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) drones for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, adding to three already operated by Japan’s coast guard.
An additional 7.6 billion yen is being sought to acquiring interceptor drones, and this could refer to the TerraDrone Terra B1 interceptor selected by Japan’s Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency as the winner of a rapid acquisition contract on Aug. 25.
The budget request also said Japan will leverage AI in a future command and control system that will be able to “rapidly integrate and analyze data to secure a decision-making advantage through target selection and situational awareness.”
It will eventually move onto a classified, locally developed cloud-based platform that will be resistant to disruption by adversaries.
The budget request will now go to Japan’s Ministry of Finance for approval, which is expected later this year.