Japan is bolstering its defenses in response to Russia's activities – South China Morning Post
Japan is preparing to strengthen its military presence in the north of the country. According to the South China Morning Post, Russia’s increased military activity is prompting Tokyo to bolster defenses on the island of Hokkaido and consider scenarios involving potential threats from multiple directions.
During a visit to military bases, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi stated the need for a “flawless” defense system in the north of the country.
Japanese analysts emphasize that Russia could open a “second front” near Hokkaido precisely when Japan is preoccupied with a crisis involving China in the south. That is why the military is practicing the rapid redeployment of units from the south to the north.
“The movement of the Russian nuclear submarine fleet will remain a serious security issue for Japan,” emphasized security researcher Yu Koizumi.
It is known that Moscow has already deployed Su-35 fighter jets and anti-ship missiles on the disputed islands near Hokkaido, and is actively turning the Sea of Okhotsk into a base for nuclear submarines. Joint exercises by Chinese and Russian forces in Japanese airspace and waters, according to researcher Shingo Nagata, have become “routine.”
From April to December of last year alone, Japan scrambled fighter jets 448 times—primarily to intercept Chinese and Russian aircraft. In March, a demonstration of “Kinzhal” hypersonic missiles aboard Russian aircraft near Japan caused particular alarm, according to media reports.
According to Temple University professor James Brown, such missiles are virtually impossible to shoot down—they change their trajectory in flight.
“Russia’s antics are irritating and draining Japan’s resources,” he emphasized.
Meanwhile, Japan’s Cabinet has approved a record defense budget of $58 billion for this year, which is 9.4 percent higher than in 2025.
The leaders of China and Russia have already stated that Japan’s accelerated rearmament poses a “serious threat” to peace and stability in the region. However, Tokyo continues its modernization efforts to avoid any gaps in its security architecture.
As a reminder, Japan wants access to the most powerful AI to protect against hackers.
Alphabet and Elon Musk’s company have begun discussions on cooperation to launch rockets to place artificial intelligence data centers directly in space.
Japan is replacing humans with robots on a massive scale due to the demographic crisis.
