Part 5/13:

The Military Build-Up and Its Strategic Implications

The deployment of these missile systems is part of Japan’s broader military modernization effort. The Japanese defense minister recently acknowledged that the current security environment is the most severe since World War II, citing the increasing aggressive posture of China and its military activities near Taiwan. The upgrade is aimed at reducing the risk of an armed attack on Japan itself, especially considering China’s growing navy activity, which includes deployments of aircraft carriers like the Liaoning and Shandong near Japanese waters.