The government of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is committed to an expansive conception of national security that focuses on economic issues.
After taking office, Kishida emphasized that economic security would be a top priority of the National Security Strategy that is anticipated to be released this year, created the post of minister for economic security and promised that his administration would submit an economic security promotion bill to this year’s ordinary session of parliament.
Economic security is key to Japan’s national security but it is also an amorphous concept that is easily abused. The challenge for the Japanese government is crafting a strategy that truly advances the nation’s security and isn’t just a fig leaf for protectionism, mercantilism and the expansion of bureaucratic power.