Japan will soon outline plans to drastically expand its defence capabilities over the next five years in response to threats from China and nuclear-armed North Korea.

Here are some of the key changes expected:

- Counterstrike capacity -

Defence spending will be ramped up to reach the NATO standard of two percent of GDP by 2027, rising from a traditional level of about one percent.

Some of the money will be for missiles that can be used to destroy enemy launch sites that threaten Japan -- so-called "counterstrike capacity".

To do that, the country is reportedly considering buying up to 500 US-made Tomahawk cruise missiles.

- Missile upgrades -

Japan also wants to deploy more than 1,000 long-range cruise missiles able to reach North Korea or coastal areas of China, according to the Yomiuri newspaper.

The nation will likely spend five trillion yen (US$37 billion) "to develop and build out its own domestic missile capacity", said James Brady, vice president of Teneo consultancy.

Japanese-developed "extended-range Type-12 (surface-to-ship) missiles, diversified launch platforms, and high-speed glide weapons" could be included in the upgrades, Brady added.

The country reportedly plans the construction of around 130 new ammunition depots by 2035 to hold counterstrike missiles and other armaments.

- Southern islands -

To counter threats from an increasingly assertive China, Japan is expected to beef up its military presence in its southernmost islands.

The country will reportedly triple the number of military units there equipped with ballistic missile interception capabilities.

According to local media, the government also plans to increase the number of troops stationed in the southern Okinawa region from 2,000 to 3,000.

- Military structure -

Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF) will be reorganised, with the army, navy and air force placed under a joint command to respond more quickly to emergencies, the Nikkei newspaper said.

For the same reason, the government reportedly wants to make it easier for the military to use civilian ports and airports during peacetime by March 2024.

Japanese officials also want to improve coordination with US forces to better prepare for a potential Taiwan crisis, Nikkei said.

There will be new units responsible for drones and another dedicated to cyber warfare as well as improved capacity for information-gathering and responding to high-tech weaponry such as glide bombs and hypersonic weapons.

Japan is also expected to increase its surface-to-ship defence units from five to seven, and work to strengthen cooperation between Japan's coastguard with the SDF and foreign coastguards.

Related Links
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com

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