Over the course of the approximately five years since the adoption of the current National Security Strategy (NSS) and the National Defense Program Guidelines (NDPG) at the end of 2013, the security environment surrounding Japan has become ever more severe. Japan requires a security strategy that will enable it to respond resolutely to the increasingly serious situation and maximize national interests. This is not simply an issue relating to the Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF), but is rather one that calls for a review of overall foreign and defense policies. It is for this reason that a review of the current National Defense Program Guidelines alone would be insufficient; what is also needed is the revision of the NSS.
In FY2017 the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA) launched a study group to review the requirements for Japan's security strategy and defense policy in light of the increasingly serious security environment. This booklet comprises a general proposal that reflects the discussions that have taken place in the study group under the leadership of the chair, and also a set of individual recommendations by the project members about items of particular concern when reassessing Japan's security situation. It should be noted that while the general proposal is the work of the JIIA, the individual recommendations represent the opinions of their respective authors alone and not the opinions of the organizations to which they are affiliated. It is hoped that these recommendations will provide insights and advice for the review of the NDPG and for considerations on Japan's future security strategy.
In FY2017 the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA) launched a study group to review the requirements for Japan's security strategy and defense policy in light of the increasingly serious security environment. This booklet comprises a general proposal that reflects the discussions that have taken place in the study group under the leadership of the chair, and also a set of individual recommendations by the project members about items of particular concern when reassessing Japan's security situation. It should be noted that while the general proposal is the work of the JIIA, the individual recommendations represent the opinions of their respective authors alone and not the opinions of the organizations to which they are affiliated. It is hoped that these recommendations will provide insights and advice for the review of the NDPG and for considerations on Japan's future security strategy.