Japanese media on June 3 disclosed Japan's 2026 version of the defense white paper summary. The new version of the white paper continues to exaggerate the so-called peripheral security threats, and for the first time proposes to strengthen the construction of drones and artificial intelligence, which intensifies public opinion's concerns about the shift in Japan's defense policy.

The picture shows the urban landscape of Tokyo, Japan. 

According to the "Global Times" citing Japan's "Asahi Shimbun" report, the new white paper outlines the continuation of the 2025 version, saying that the international community has entered a "new crisis era" and declared that "the security environment in the Indo-Pacific region is becoming increasingly severe". The white paper also continues to play up the so-called "China threat" and positions China as "the greatest strategic challenge ever". The white paper also stated that China conducted many military exercises around the Taiwan Strait in 2025, which is intended to "create a fait accompli for the normal activities of the Chinese military". In addition, the white paper expressed so-called "serious concerns" about Sino-Russian military cooperation, including the joint cruise of Chinese and Russian military aircraft from the East China Sea to the Pacific Ocean in December last year.

In terms of defense capacity building, the new white paper proposes to build a "mutually supportive environment" by deploying the same defense equipment with allies and "like-minded" countries ". According to a report on the website of the Japan Broadcasting Association (NHK), the 2026 edition of the white paper has a new chapter on "new combat methods". Taking the situation in Ukraine as an example, it emphasizes that the massive use of cheap drones has led to a protracted war, and proposes that Japan should increase drones. And the application of artificial intelligence technology in the field of defense, and enhance the importance of long-term combat capabilities.

According to reports, the 2026 edition of the "Defense White Paper" will be the first defense programmatic document of Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Zaomiao after taking office. It is expected to be submitted to the cabinet meeting for deliberation this summer. Japanese public opinion believes that the Japanese government continues to promote the shift of defense policy on the grounds of the deterioration of the surrounding security environment, which may intensify military tensions and expand the risk of war.

Chen Yang, a visiting researcher at the Center for Japanese Studies at Liaoning University, told the Global Times on June 3 that it is the usual practice of Japanese militarism to hype external threats and make excuses for the expansion of the strong army. In recent years, Japan has continuously broken through the constraints of the post-war peace system, accelerated the adjustment of its defense strategy, repeatedly set new highs in its defense budget, and greatly relaxed its arms export policy. The direction of its military policy adjustment deserves the high vigilance of the international community.

According to Japan's Kyodo News Agency, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi claimed at the Shangri-La Dialogue on May 31 that China's claim that Japan is a "new militarism" country is untrue. After China criticized its above remarks on June 1, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense of Japan responded on the 2nd that China "repeatedly put forward claims that do not conform to the facts". In this regard, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated on June 3 that Japan's so-called "facts" of avoiding the important and deceiving itself and others are completely disguised for "remilitarization. Japan avoids addressing its crimes of militarist aggression and expansion and the international legal obligations it bears, has yet to engage in a thorough reflection on history, and instead cloaks overseas troop deployments in the guise of “collective self-defense,” whitewashes the buildup of offensive capabilities as “developing counterstrike capabilities,” and uses “equipment and technology cooperation” to conceal the export of lethal weapons, seeking to deceive both the Japanese public and the international community through semantic sleight of hand. Mao Ning stressed that figures do not lie and word games cannot wash away Japan's actual actions of army consolidation and expansion. The more Japan hides, the more the international community should be on high alert.