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Japanese Military Power 2012

July, 2013

Report on Japanese Military Power 2012
China Strategic Culture Promotion Association

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Conclusion

What can be concluded from the above analysis and assessment of Japanese military buildup in 2012 is that Japanese military force is essentially a well-equipped, highly-trained, medium-scale armed force with a large defense budget and advanced technologies although it is supposed to be restrained by the Peace Constitution and is titled a "Self-Defense Force". It is now undergoing significant transformation. Japan has been expanding the objectives and enriching the approaches for its security and defense strategies. It seeks to ensure its national security interests by way of self-reliance and multi-layer cooperation. In terms of the trends of military buildup, Japan formulated the concept of "Dynamic Defense Force" in support of U.S. strategic rebalance towards East Asia; it also promoted "Dynamic Defense Cooperation" between Japan and the U.S., focusing on rapid maneuver, active response, and dynamic deterrence. As a result, Japan has become increasingly more active and offensive in its military operations. In terms of foreign security cooperation, Japan continues to enhance multilateral security cooperation between Japan and the U.S., ROK, Australia, India, and ASEAN countries in the form of "Japan plus X" or "Japan-U.S. plus X" on the basis of Japan-U.S. alliance. In terms of its policy towards China, while emphasizing military exchanges between the two countries, Japan has intensified its efforts to contain and hedge against China. Specific measures include enhancing surveillance and reconnaissance of China, reinforcing military deployment on "Southwestern islands", highlighting military means in dealing with disputes over the Diaoyu Islands, and being proactively engaged in the South China Sea issues. These measures and trends of development have imposed pressure on China's peripheral as well as regional security environment. They have also brought uncertainties and negative impacts on the healthy development of Sino-Japanese relations.