Japan’s Ministry of Defense has put forth an unprecedented defense budget request amounting to 8.54 trillion yen (approximately 59 billion U.S. dollars) for the fiscal year 2025.
This request, submitted on Friday, represents the first occasion in which the nation’s defense budget proposal has exceeded the 8-trillion-yen threshold, underscoring the government’s heightened commitment to strengthening its military capabilities.
Reports from local media indicate that the defense budget for the upcoming fiscal period, commencing in April, places considerable emphasis on enhancing Japan’s so-called “counterattack capabilities.” The defense ministry intends to allocate 970 billion yen specifically for the improvement of Japan’s long-range defense capabilities, which encompasses the deployment and mass production of various long-range missile systems.
An additional 323.2 billion yen would be set aside for the development of a satellite constellation system that aims to deploy multiple small satellites capable of detecting and tracking warships, vessels, and missiles.
Furthermore, 3 billion yen would be invested in deploying self-destruct drones for Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force.