Japan is preparing to double its defense budget: 80 trillion yen on the agenda

Japan is reportedly considering roughly doubling defense spending over the next five years to a range of ¥70–80 trillion, with drones, long-range missiles and advanced technology systems at the center of the plan. The move would mark one of the largest sustained increases in Japanese military outlays in the postwar period and signals a shift away from the country's traditional spending restraint. It matters because the scale of the budget could reshape Japan's defense industrial base and procurement priorities, while adding to pressure on its fiscal position. Watch for the government's formal adoption of the five-year plan and the specific funding breakdown, which will determine how quickly the spending reaches the proposed range.