The ruling Liberal Democratic Party unveiled its campaign platform on Thursday ahead of an Upper House election set for next month, shifting to a sharper focus on diplomacy and defense — including its first-ever pledge to deter regional missile threats to Japan by acquiring a so-called counterstrike capability.
“We will maintain the ability to counterattack against any armed assaults on Japan, including with the use of ballistic missiles, allowing us to deter and respond to such attacks in kind,” LDP policy chief Sanae Takaichi told journalists at a news conference to announce the party’s platform.
According to that platform, the government will “continue to strengthen Japan’s capabilities and build up its posture in response to changes in 'fighting styles' that employ state-of-the-art technology.”