The Business Times
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Japan is emerging as a regional security power broker

Across the Indo-Pacific, open sea lanes and free trade are not a policy preference but an economic precondition

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    • Far from a show of unilateral power, Japan’s growing defensive presence is the practical expression of a coalition working to protect a shared vision and safeguard shared trade routes.
    • Far from a show of unilateral power, Japan’s growing defensive presence is the practical expression of a coalition working to protect a shared vision and safeguard shared trade routes. PHOTO: REUTERS

    Derek Grossman

    Published Thu, Aug 13, 2026 · 12:00 PM

    JAPAN’S 2026 Defense White Paper, released on Aug 4, argues that Japan must strengthen its “comprehensive national power” and collaborate more closely with like-minded partners in the face of a deteriorating security environment.

    The paper is remarkable for linking Japan’s defence renaissance to economic revitalisation – Tokyo is clearly banking on the economic “ripple effects” of this investment, not least innovation in dual-use technologies.

    Since her landslide victory in October 2025, Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has worked relentlessly to transform the nation’s military capabilities and diplomatic posture.

    JapanDefenceAseanTrade

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