Amid China's military rise and the continued threat from North Korea, new Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera has vowed to bolster Japan's defensive capabilities by reviewing its strategies, increasing the defense budget and revising the guidelines in place with the United States.
Onodera said in a recent group interview that his ministry will review the National Defense Program Guidelines and Midterm Defense Program to strengthen the Self-Defense Forces' deterrence.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who aims to restore and enhance the Japan-U.S. alliance, instructed Onodera to revise the guidelines in tandem with U.S. defense strategies unveiled in 2011, which put a greater focus on Asia.