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New Defense Bureaus
Japan’s Defense Ministry is reportedly considering a major organizational expansion in fiscal 2027 that could add up to three new bureaus, tentatively named as a "defense infrastructure bureau," an "international policy bureau" and a "facilities policy bureau," according to the Asahi Shimbun as cited by Global Times.
“could add up to three new bureaus, tentatively named as a "defense infrastructure bureau"”
Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times that the three new bureaus show Japan’s military buildup is moving beyond increases in weapons and defense spending toward a broader administrative and institutional system.
Under the proposal being considered, the "international policy bureau" would oversee international affairs, including defense cooperation with other countries, while the "defense infrastructure bureau" would be responsible for logistical support for the Self-Defense Forces (SDF), including transportation, supplies and medical services.
The "facilities policy bureau" would oversee the development, maintenance and management of facilities at SDF bases and US military bases in Japan, the report said.
The ministry plans to include related expenditures in its fiscal 2027 budget request, scheduled to be submitted at the end of August, and the expansion is being pushed by Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi.
Drones and Interceptor Tests
Rakuten Group has finalized plans to partner with Germany’s Helsing, a German startup developing drones with missile interception capabilities, with Rakuten supporting the process of Helsing delivering drones to Japan’s Ministry of Defense.
The aim is to eventually establish a domestic mass production system in Japan, while demonstration tests to determine whether the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force will adopt them are scheduled to be conducted by the end of September.
BigGo Finance says Helsing’s interceptor drones are capable of shooting down missiles and other targets, but the specific use cases and procurement scale remain undecided at this time.
Rakuten is expected to serve as Helsing’s point of contact in Japan, handling negotiations with government agencies, regulatory approval procedures, and coordination with domestic companies.
The partnership is framed as Japan’s defense equipment procurement becoming increasingly internationalized as the Japanese government increased defense spending based on its National Security Strategy, aiming to raise it to 2% of gross domestic product (GDP) by fiscal 2027.
Coordination, Risk, and Budget
Global Times also says that amid what it claimed as increasingly active Chinese and Russian military activities around Japan and a more complex security environment, Tokyo has been strengthening coordination with "like-minded countries" in Europe and Southeast Asia.
“the greatest risk posed by Japan's expanding defense cooperation with other countries”
The outlet adds that Japan is seeking to address emerging challenges such as the use of drones and AI in new forms of warfare, with the planned organizational changes aimed at dividing responsibilities more clearly and enabling faster policy-making.
Song Zhongping underscored that the greatest risk posed by Japan’s expanding defense cooperation with other countries is that it could provide a path to legitimize the country’s transformation into a so-called "military power."
Global Times reports that Japan’s Defense Ministry is set to request about 8.9 trillion yen ($56 billion) from the Finance Ministry as Japan begins preparing its fiscal 2027 budget, which would mark a record high and could even potentially reach 10 trillion eventually.
The outlet says the sharp rise in defense spending and the ongoing changes within the Defense Ministry appear intended to lay the groundwork for revisions to Japan’s three key security documents, further hollowing out the substance and limits of its "exclusively defense-oriented policy."