Bu Zhu Xiaoqi
朱晓琦
The Japanese government recently approved the supplementary budget of FY2025, which granted an additional 847.2 billion yen ($5.4 billion) for its Ministry of Defense. Combined with relevant funding and the initial budget, Japan's total defense spending of the current fiscal year has reached a record high of 11 trillion yen, which has correspondingly increased to 2% of its GDP. Dominated by its Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Japan is accelerating its military expansion.
日本政府日前批准2025财年补充预算案，防卫省再获8472亿日元拨款。叠加相关经费及初始预算，本财年日本防卫开支总额已达创纪录的11万亿日元，占国内生产总值（GDP）比例已提升到2%。在首相高市早苗主导下，日本军备扩张正在加速推进。
Among the supplementary budget, around a quarter will be used to improve the welfare of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) personnel and maintain military facilities to mitigate the increasingly severe challenge in recruitment. The remaining three quarters will be invested in enhancing its military power development, purchasing frigates, submarines, missiles and other equipment to promote its warfighting capabilities on the one hand, and facilitating the maintenance and preparation of relevant US installations on the other hand.
补充预算中，约四分之一用于改善自卫队人员待遇和维护设施，旨在缓解日益严峻的兵员招募困境。而高达四分之三的份额则用于强化武力建设：一方面，购置护卫舰、潜艇、导弹等装备，提升作战能力；另一方面，推进美军相关设施的修建和整备。
In 1976, the cabinet of former Prime Minister Takeo Miki decided to cap Japan's defense spending at no more than 1% of GDP based on the principles of Japan's pacifist Constitution. The red line of 1% of GDP has been adhered to by subsequent cabinets as a convention for many years. In recent years, however, the right-wing politicians in Japan have been hyping the "serious security environment" as an excuse to break free from related constraints. In 2022, Fumio Kishida's cabinet exceeded the 1% ceiling when compiling the budget for the FY2023, and planned to increase it to more than 2% of GDP in five years. Japan's "three security documents" passed in the same year explicitly defined the target of an increase to 2% of GDP in FY2027.
基于“和平宪法”的精神，1976年，三木武夫内阁提出了“防卫费不超过GDP的1%”的上限。此后多年，1%这一红线成为历届内阁遵循的惯例。然而，近年来，日本右翼政客不断渲染“严峻安保环境”，以此为突破限制制造借口。2022年，岸田文雄内阁在编列2023财年预算时突破了1%的限制，并计划在5年内提至2%以上。同年通过的新“安保三文件”更明确设定了2027财年达到2%的目标。
This supplementary budget has enabled Japan to achieve a "thirteenth consecutive increase" in defense spending, and reach the original 2% target two years ahead of schedule. From FY 2023 to FY 2025, Japan's defense spending has leaped from 1.19 % of GDP to 2%, making its defense spending reach the military expenditure standards of NATO states. The JDSF is accelerating the transformation into a "military force" with extensive warfighting capabilities, representing a trend completely deviating from the principles of its pacifist Constitution.
此次补充预算不仅使日本防卫费实现“十三连增”，更将原定2%目标提前两年达成。从2023财年到2025财年，其防卫费占比由1.19%急速跃升至2%。这标志着日本防卫支出已达到北约国家军费标准，其自卫队正加速向拥有广泛作战能力的“军队”转变，这一趋势是对“和平宪法”精神的彻底背离。
Since taking office as Japan's Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi has made every effort to ease the restrictions on its military. In addition to codifying the objective of abolishing the relevant provisions of the Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology during the regular session of the Diet in 2026 into the coalition agreement with the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has launched discussions on possible revisions of the Three Non-Nuclear Principles. At the same time, the LDP and JIP have reached a consensus on advancing the constitutional amendment process, attempting to completely break free from the constraints of the pacifist Constitution.
高市早苗出任首相后，极力推动军事松绑。自民党不仅在与日本维新会的联合执政协议中明确写入2026年国会例会期间废除“防卫装备转移三原则”相关规定的目标，更已启动讨论修改“无核三原则”的可能性。同时，自民党和日本维新会就推进修宪程序达成共识，图谋彻底摆脱“和平宪法”束缚。
At the historical juncture marking the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, the Japanese authorities, turning a blind eye to historical lessons, have continuously broken the tether of the pacifist Constitution, signaling the comeback of militarism. Japan's dangerous moves of accelerating its military expansion and war preparation directly challenge the post-war international order and undermine regional peace and stability. Only by deeply reflecting on its history of aggression and abiding by the pacifist Constitution can Japan win the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community and achieve true peace and security. Should the Japanese side refuse to correct its course and stray even farther down the wrong path, it will surely pay a heavy price and cannot escape the reckoning of history and justice.
在世界反法西斯战争胜利80周年的重要历史节点，日本当局罔顾历史教训，持续突破“和平宪法”框架，军国主义大有卷土重来之势。其加速扩军备战的危险行径，严重挑战战后国际秩序，破坏地区和平稳定。日方唯有深刻反省侵略历史，恪守“和平宪法”，方能取信于亚洲邻国和国际社会，实现真正的和平与安全。日方若执迷不悟，一意孤行，必将付出沉重代价，难逃历史和正义的清算。
