Japanese general worried about country's defense capabilities

General Yoshida warned that the Japan Self-Defense Forces are not capable of protecting the country with current resources, so the defense budget needs to be increased.

"We cannot maintain Japan's security with our current capabilities. That is why we decided to increase defense spending to 2% of GDP and enhance necessary capabilities," General Yoshihide Yoshida, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of Japan, said in an interview on August 29.

Yoshida made the comment in response to a question about whether the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) are capable of defending the country. However, he also pointed out that the SDF's problems are being overcome, especially through a sharp increase in defense spending and the purchase of advanced weapons systems.

Yoshida said he wanted the public to understand the security environment the country faces, saying Japan is "on the front line" in dealing with unilateral actions that change the status quo by force in the Indo-Pacific region.

"Concerns about our defense capabilities are growing as people witness provocations by North Korea and China. Opinion polls show that many people support increased defense spending, as well as Japan's possession of counterattack capabilities," Yoshida said.

General Yoshihide Yoshida, Chief of the Joint Staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Photo: X/JapanJointStaff — General Yoshihide Yoshida, Chief of the Joint Staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Photo: *X/JapanJointStaff*

He said Japan needs to develop an extended deterrence capability to attack targets with missiles and strengthen its interception capabilities. "We also need more shelters to minimize damage from missile attacks and protect people," Yoshida stressed.

The US government recently approved a $104 million deal to sell air-launched ground-attack missiles to Japan. Tokyo has ordered 50 JASSM-ER missiles, which can be launched from Air Self-Defense Force F-15s and other fighter jets.

General Yoshida acknowledged that the biggest challenge facing Japan's military is its shrinking population, which has led to a decline in the number of young men of military age. Japan's total population fell by about 750,000 people last year.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida late last year set a target of increasing the defense budget over the next five years to 43 trillion yen ($294 billion), 1.5 times the previous level, as Tokyo seeks to strengthen its defense capabilities to deal with security threats in the region.

Huyen Le (According to SCMP )

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