The Japanese Ministry of Defense has requested a record budget of 8.9 trillion yen, focused on artificial intelligence and the modernization of defense capabilities.

The Japanese Ministry of Defense requested a record budget of 8.9 trillion yen (48 billion euros) for the fiscal year starting in April 2027, focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the decision-making process in the context of increased security tensions. According to the Nikkei newspaper, the final budget could reach 10 trillion yen (54 billion euros). This request is part of a major modernization of defense capabilities, considering the threats from China, North Korea, and Russia.

The ministry intends to implement an AI-based decision support system, acquire low-cost drones, and develop hypersonic missiles. A unit dedicated to countering cognitive warfare, an increasingly significant threat, will also be created. This request reflects a shift in Japan's defense policy, moving away from its traditional pacifist stance in the context of the rapid expansion of the Chinese military and the conflict in Ukraine, which has heightened concerns about stability in East Asia.