On December 23, Takahashi Asa warned that preparations should be made for being involved in a conflict!
At a public speech on the same day, Takahashi Asa stated: Japan must be prepared for possible involvement in high-intensity and long-term conflicts. She mentioned wars like the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which could potentially happen to Japan in the future.
This statement by Takahashi actually provides new viewpoints to support the revision of the "Security Strategy," "Defense Strategy," and "Defense Capacity Development Plan" at the end of 2022. She emphasized that "the security environment has changed significantly."
This statement also means that Japan will next establish a system capable of maintaining combat power during conflicts that may last months or even years - including ammunition reserves, defense industry production capacity, energy security, as well as national psychology and social mobilization mechanisms. This has gone far beyond the past concept of "self-defense."
Currently, Tokyo is accelerating the development of long-range strike capabilities, expanding the overseas activity authority of the Self-Defense Forces. The Ministry of Defense is advancing the establishment of a "Combined Command Headquarters" to unify the command of the Ground, Maritime, and Air Self-Defense Forces; the production of domestically made missiles is planned to increase tenfold within the next five years; and the frequency and scale of joint training exercises with countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia are also continuously increasing. These are not temporary responses but components of a systematic preparation for war.
The term "being involved in a conflict," which was once strongly avoided in Japan, is now openly put on the table.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1852536372570379/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.