CHANGES IN THE SECURITY POLICY OF THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT F. KISHIDA IN THE CONTEXTOF THE RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN WAR

Abstract

The article analyzes the features of Japan’s security policy. It is noted that tradi- tionally, after World War II, the country relied on US defense resources, adhering to the Yoshida Doctrine. This made it possible to focus on socio-economic issues and reduce military spending. However, Japan’s security situation has changed since the end of the Cold War, when the country sought to increase its contribu- tion to regional and global security. At the beginning of the 21st century, growing military threats from China and North Korea forced Japan to step up its defense efforts. The government of Sh. Abe initiated a number of reforms: the National Security Council was established, the «National Security Strategy» was adopted, and defense capabilities were modernized. Japan has also focused on building new security partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region. Changes in security policy have covered a variety of issues, including the gradual militarization of the re- mote southwestern islands and cyber security. The final break with the pacifist traditions of foreign policy was performed due to the government of F. Kishida, and the key event that provoked these drastic changes was the full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine in February 2022. Key changes proposed by Japan’s new national security strategy include: doubling the defense budget over the next five years; development of counterattack capabilities; expanding into new areas such as space; creation of the Permanent Joint Staff to coordinate the command of the armed forces; strategic emphasis on the southwestern islands, which are under the greatest threat in the context of the situation around Taiwan; increasing the country’s defense capability and readiness to conduct military operations. The

«National Defense Strategy of Japan», adopted in 2022, takes into account the experience of the Russian-Ukrainian war and aims to respond to «new ways of waging war». In accordance with this, the government’s efforts to make gradual changes in the Self-Defense Forces are focused on seven main areas: strengthe- ning defense capabilities; complex air defense; development of unmanned tech- nologies; means of electronic security; possibilities of mobile deployment and protection of the civilian population; operational headquarters and intelligence centers; increasing the fighting capacity of the personnel of the Self-Defense Forces. Strategic communications with NATO and other defense alliances also play an important role in Japan’s security policy.