Japan’s Defense Ministry Requests Record Military Budget

Japan’s Defense Ministry requested $60.1 billion on August 29 for its upcoming fiscal year, starting in April 2026. This budget would set a new record for Japanese defense spending by $5 billion.

Why it matters: The proposal represents Japan’s 14th consecutive year of increased defense spending. As the nation strengthens its military, it becomes less reliant on the United States and more dangerous.

Details:

• The new budget places a heavy emphasis on “unmanned asset defense capabilities.”
• Japan plans to incorporate its new Type-12 anti-ship missiles into its military by March 2026, one year earlier than planned.
• Other Japanese missiles are also being developed.

Prophesied: The Trumpet and its precursor, the Plain Truth, have watched for Japan’s military rise for decades. In the March 1971 Plain Truth, Herbert W. Armstrong wrote:

Japan today has no military establishment. Some United States forces are still there. But we should not lose sight of the fact that Japan has become so powerful economically that it could build a military force of very great power very rapidly.

Fifty-four years later, this is exactly what is happening.

Learn more: How will Japan’s military rise factor into prophesied end-time events? Read Chapter 5 of our free booklet Russia and China in Prophecy.