Photo/Illutration Itsunori Onodera, center, speaks at the joint session between LDP’s Research Commission on Security and National Defense Division at the party's headquarters in Tokyo on Nov. 20. (Takeshi Iwashita)

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party started discussions to revise Japan's national defense policy on Nov. 20 with a focus on increasing defense spending. 

The talks will center around revising three security-related documents, which designate Japan’s basic diplomatic and security policy.

The LDP’s Research Commission on Security and National Defense Division held a joint session on the morning of Nov. 20.

“We’d like to exchange opinions on the review of the three documents moving forward,” said former defense minister Itsunori Onodera, who chairs the commission. 

The LDP plans to finalize its proposals to the government by the end of April next year, with the government aiming to complete the revisions next year.

At the first meeting in October, officials from the Defense Ministry and National Security Secretariat explained the intent to revise the three security-related documents, which were approved by the Cabinet in 2022.

The National Security Strategy, which is one of the three documents, designated that Japan  will increase defense spending to 2 percent of GDP in fiscal 2027.

However, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed her intention to achieve the target by the end of March 2026. The LDP is expected to discuss setting a target of at least 2 percent of GDP in the revised National Security Strategy document.

The series of meetings will also focus on abolishing the five-category restriction alongside the early revision of the three documents.

Under the current operational guidelines for the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology, exports are limited to five purposes: rescue, transport, warning, surveillance and minesweeping.

Onodera noted that several lawmakers voiced support for removing these restrictions during the Nov. 20 session.

Meanwhile, the coalition agreement document between the LDP and Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) clearly states their intention to revise the three security documents ahead of an initial schedule and abolish the five categories during next year’s regular Diet session.

Nippon Ishin has already begun internal discussions, and both parties plan to establish a joint council by the end of December.

The series of meetings by the LDP is also expected to discuss a possible review of the Three Non-Nuclear Principles of not possessing, not producing and not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons.

The current National Security Strategy clearly states that the basic policy of adhering to the Three Non-Nuclear Principles will remain unchanged.

However, when asked in the Diet whether this wording would be retained in the early revision of the three documents, Takaichi avoided a clear answer, saying, “It is not at a stage where I can make a comment.”

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