TOKYO, Aug 31 — Japan’s defence ministry requested a record budget of ¥8.9 trillion (RM220 billion) todayas Tokyo looks to artificial intelligence to speed up decision-making in the face of a tense security environment.

The final budget reportedly could reach ¥10 trillion as Tokyo undergoes a sweeping upgrade of its defence in order to navigate growing tension with neighbours such as China, North Korea and Russia.

The latest request focuses on countering “new ways of warfare”, with an emphasis on the use of AI, drones and standoff missiles.

Under the request, the ministry hopes to implement an AI-powered decision support system.

It also wants to procure low-cost drones that can work in tandem with long-range missiles to neutralise enemy assets.

The ministry said it plans to develop underwater-launched hypersonic missiles and establish a new unit to bolster defences against cognitive warfare, a growing threat aimed at shaping public opinion through disinformation campaigns and other operations.

The budget request for the fiscal year starting from April 2027 highlights the latest step by Japan to boost its military to meet the volatile geopolitical reality, gradually shedding its traditional pacifist stance that limited the use of force purely for self-defence.

China’s rapid military expansion and North Korea’s steady development of missiles and nuclear weapons have pressed Japan to shore up its defence.

Russia’s war in Ukraine has fuelled worries among Japanese policymakers that a similar conflict could erupt in East Asia, considering China’s mounting pressure on Taiwan and its escalating territorial disputes with Japan. — AFP