Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae delivers a speech at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo on Wednesday. [EPA]
Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae delivers a speech at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo on Wednesday. [EPA]

Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae said Wednesday that public understanding and cooperation are essential to strengthening the country's defense capabilities, speaking at a Self-Defense Forces commanders' meeting at the Defense Ministry, Kyodo News and NHK reported.

Addressing senior SDF officers — including the chief of the Joint Staff and the chiefs of staff of the Ground, Maritime and Air Self-Defense Forces — Takaichi said as supreme commander that "a fundamental strengthening of defense capabilities cannot be achieved without the cooperation of the people."

She also said she would use the planned revision of Japan's three core security documents, including the National Security Strategy, which the government intends to update by year's end, to lay out a new direction for the defense buildup.

"Countries around the world are racing to build systems capable of deploying AI and operating large numbers of drones, and are preparing for prolonged conflict — Japan must make this a top priority as well," Takaichi said.

She added that Japan must fully integrate not only its traditional land, sea and air defense structures but also specialized domains — including AI, drones, space, cyber and electromagnetic capabilities — into its defense posture.

Takaichi also pledged to improve working conditions for SDF personnel, as the military continues to struggle with chronic shortfalls in recruitment.


mokiya@heraldcorp.com