Japan defence minister says stronger military posture is critical to prevent war

Japan must strengthen its defence capabilities, Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has said, arguing that a more robust military posture is needed to help prevent conflict in the region. In an interview in Tokyo, he said Japan should reinforce its alliance with the United States and expand cooperation with like-minded countries as part of what he described as building "multi-layered deterrence". Koizumi linked that approach to recent changes in Japan's defence policy, including the relaxation of decades-old arms export rules.

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He said that for the first time in about 50 years, Tokyo can now sell or transfer defence equipment and lethal weapons to the 17 countries with which it has formal agreements, including the United States and the United Kingdom. He also said talks were under way with Australia, the Philippines, Indonesia and New Zealand over possible transfers of Japanese equipment. The minister said Australia had selected Japanese warships, while discussions were continuing with the Philippines over used destroyers from Japan's Maritime Self-Defence Force.

He added that Japan was in deep talks with Indonesia and that New Zealand had also shown interest in acquiring Japanese destroyers. Koizumi said this kind of equipment trade across the Indo-Pacific was something Japan had never seen before. The comments come as defence has become one of the top priorities for the current administration, which has committed to historic spending increases.

The government argues that the reforms are necessary in a region it sees as increasingly tense. Koizumi pointed to China's rise as a major strategic challenge and to North Korea's nuclear ambitions, including ballistic missile tests over Japan, as reasons for the shift. The interview also touched on Japan's post-war constitutional settlement.

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Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who took office in October 2025, has pushed for revising Article 9 of the constitution, which renounces war as a sovereign right and says land, sea and air forces will never be maintained. Koizumi said he supported a revision because the security environment had changed significantly over the past eight decades. Japan's defence debate has long been shaped by the legacy of World War Two and the pacifist principles adopted afterwards.

The current policy changes mark a notable departure from the country's earlier restrictions on arms exports and reflect a broader effort to deepen security ties with partners across the Indo-Pacific. That shift is taking place as regional tensions remain elevated and as Tokyo seeks to present itself as a more active security actor. The developments also have implications beyond Japan's borders, particularly for countries looking to diversify defence suppliers and strengthen maritime capabilities.

The mention of possible transfers to Australia, the Philippines, Indonesia and New Zealand suggests Tokyo is trying to turn policy change into practical cooperation. It also underlines how Japan is positioning itself within a wider network of regional deterrence alongside the United States and other partners. What remains unclear is how far these talks will progress and which specific equipment transfers may be approved.

It is also not yet clear whether the constitutional revision Koizumi supports will gain enough political backing to move forward. For now, the government is signalling that defence policy will remain a central issue as it responds to regional security pressures and tests the limits of Japan's post-war constraints.