Photo/Illutration The Ground Self-Defense Force’s Type 12 surface-to-ship guided missile, which is currently being upgraded to become the first Japan-made long-range cruise missile (From the Ground Self-Defense Force’s website)

As Japan moves closer to revising its national security policies, the likelihood has increased that Tokyo will greatly expand its defense collaboration with Washington.

The government draft of the National Security Strategy, presented to a meeting of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Dec. 13, marks a shift from the Self-Defense Forces’ traditional role as a “shield” in the “shield-and-sword” relationship with U.S. military.

The new SDF role will be involved in Japan’s enhanced capabilities to strike enemy bases, which was included in the draft.

The government is set to gain Cabinet approval on Dec. 16 for the updated National Security Strategy, which outlines the nation’s basic foreign and defense policies over the long term, along with two other key documents concerning defense policies covering five to 10 years.

Japan has maintained an exclusively defense-oriented policy for decades under war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution. The policy meant that Japan would use force-- limited to the minimum necessary--only after it was attacked.

Successive Japanese governments have discussed whether acquiring the capability to launch pre-emptive strikes against enemy bases that are threatening to attack Japan would fall within the scope of self-defense.

But Tokyo had opted not to pursue such a capability to avoid threatening or provoking neighboring countries.

In the draft, the government underscored the necessity of having first-strike capabilities targeting enemy nations, saying it is “critical to Japan’s deterrence.”

But still wary of perceptions, the government used the term “counterstrike capabilities” to describe such first-strike actions.

The draft said Japan and the United States will work together in “counterstrike capabilities,” just as they do in response to ballistic missiles.

In addition, the draft called for coordination of Japan-U.S. defense operations, including counterstrike capabilities, to strengthen the two allies’ deterrence and responses to contingencies.

To heighten the deterrence factor, the government proposal for the defense buildup plan said the SDF would be equipped with a standoff missile unit that can strike enemy bases from long distances.

Such a unit will feature core troops of the Ground SDF.

The government also plans to deploy U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missiles and Japan-made Type 12 surface-to-ship guided missiles to hit enemy bases that are threatening to attack Japan.

To avert accusations that Japan is violating international law by staging a pre-emptive attack, Japan would have to first certify that an enemy is taking action to attack the nation before it fires the counterstrike missiles.

The government said it will make a judgment call on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the international situation, the perceived intentions of an adversary nation, and its means of attack.

The draft of the new National Security Strategy also proposed the introduction of active cyber defense and listed specific programs to better protect Japan in cyberspace.

Such a defense is intended to either prevent cyberattacks that could have grave consequences for government functions and crucial infrastructure or mitigate the damages if they do take place.

Private-sector companies managing important infrastructure are expected to share detailed information with the government during cyberattacks.

In addition, the government said it will consider giving itself increased authority to take measures against potential cyberattacks on critical infrastructure that could jeopardize national security. These measures could include steps to invade and neutralize servers used in the attacks.

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