- Japan's 2026 Defence White Paper warns that the security environment around the country is the most severe since World War Two, cautioning that a Ukraine-like crisis could emerge in the Indo-Pacific, particularly in East Asia.
- The report identifies China as 'the greatest strategic challenge' due to its continued military build-up and intensified activities around Japan and Taiwan, while also expressing alarm over deepening military ties between China and Russia.
- It highlights specific incidents, such as Chinese and Russian bombers flying near Japan's southern islands in December 2025, which prompted Japanese fighter jet scrambles and was deemed a 'serious concern for national security'.
- North Korea is reiterated as an 'imminent and grave threat' due to its rapid progress in missile development, including advanced hypersonic missiles, and its growing military cooperation with Russia.
- In response to these threats, Japan is undertaking a fundamental overhaul of its defence capabilities, focusing on long-range stand-off strike capabilities, integrated air and missile defence, and deploying new missile systems, arguing that defence investment also benefits the economy.
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