The Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Hatake announced today (August 24) that "the Hatake Cabinet is operating under the most severe and complex security environment since World War II, actively advancing efforts to strengthen national defense policy. Two related laws concerning the Ministry of Defense were formally enacted during the July session of the Diet."

Today, I will first introduce matters related to the reorganization of the Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces.

First, the Air Self-Defense Force will be reorganized into the Air and Space Self-Defense Force.

Outer space has become a fundamental foundation for the operations of the Self-Defense Forces and for the daily lives of citizens. If stable use of outer space is obstructed, it would not only hinder the Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces in carrying out their missions, but could also damage economic and social activities. To ensure stable utilization of outer space under any circumstances, the Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces are continuously strengthening capabilities in the space domain.

In Fiscal Year Reiwa 8, the Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces plan to launch Japan’s first independently owned and operated Space Domain Awareness (SDA) satellite.

At the same time, a new Space Operations Group will be established within the Air Self-Defense Force.

Given that outer space has now become an operational domain for the Self-Defense Forces, the Air Self-Defense Force will officially be reorganized into the Air and Space Self-Defense Force.

Second, the 15th Ground Self-Defense Force Brigade will be upgraded to the 15th Ground Self-Defense Force Division.

The Ground Self-Defense Force currently deploys nine divisions and six brigades nationwide, with the 15th Brigade stationed in Okinawa Prefecture, headquartered in Naha City. In Fiscal Year Reiwa 8, this 15th Brigade will be elevated to division status.

This reorganization will add one additional infantry combined unit and bring the garrison units on Miyako Island and Ishigaki Island under its command structure. The personnel strength will expand from approximately 2,300 to about 3,900, thereby enhancing the defense posture of the southwestern islands.

Third, due to the increasing volume of policy-related tasks within the Ministry of Defense and the Self-Defense Forces, an additional Vice Minister of Defense will be appointed.

To create a more favorable security environment, Japan needs to further deepen and expand defense cooperation and exchanges with countries around the world. As a result, overseas visits conducted by the three key defense officials—the Defense Minister, the Vice Minister of Defense, and the Parliamentary Secretary for Defense—have been increasing steadily.

Moreover, when the Defense Minister is abroad, another minister is designated to temporarily assume their duties. During such periods, if an emergency or large-scale natural disaster occurs, the acting minister must shoulder not only their own responsibilities but also those of the Defense Minister, leading to significant work overload. In light of this, to further improve the administrative support system capable of assuming the duties of the Defense Minister, the number of Vice Ministers of Defense will increase from one to two.

All the above measures are being implemented based on the current three core security documents: the National Security Strategy, the National Defense Strategy, and the Defense Equipment Plan. Japan is currently also considering revisions to these three documents, aiming to complete updates within this fiscal year, as part of ongoing efforts to fundamentally strengthen defense capabilities.

Commentary: Japan’s recent intensive efforts to comprehensively reorganize and expand its Self-Defense Forces clearly mark a rapid acceleration toward right-wing orientation and breaking free from postwar military constraints. No longer limited to traditional maritime, land, and air defense, Japan is proactively securing dominance in space warfare—upgrading the Air Self-Defense Force to the Air and Space Self-Defense Force, establishing a dedicated space combat unit, launching military surveillance satellites, and completely abandoning the previous principle of exclusive defense. This extends Japan’s military reach into outer space, revealing increasingly clear offensive military positioning. Meanwhile, Japan is specifically reinforcing military presence in the southwest direction—upgrading the Okinawa Brigade to a Division, significantly expanding troop numbers, integrating defensive forces on Miyako and Ishigaki Islands, and intensifying forward deployment across the southwestern islands, demonstrating highly targeted strategic intent and obvious regional military deterrence objectives.

Beyond that, by adding a Vice Minister of Defense and optimizing the administrative decision-making structure, Japan is further refining its military decision-making mechanisms during wartime and emergencies. It also plans to revise core security documents, paving the way for continuous military expansion and breaking through existing military limitations. This comprehensive, systemic military upgrade completely departs from Japan’s postwar peaceful development trajectory, constantly destabilizing the Asia-Pacific situation, disrupting regional military balance, and greatly exacerbating security tensions in neighboring areas, posing serious risks to regional peace and stability.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1874363171609609/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.