LDP Begins Talks to Update Key National Security Documents

Tokyo, Nov. 20 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Thursday began talks to update the country’s three key national security documents by the end of 2026, as declared by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The LDP plans to draw up related proposals to the government by April 2026 at the earliest. “We’re seeing a major change (in the security environment surrounding Japan) from the time when the three documents were compiled in 2022,” former Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera, the current chairman of the party’s Research Commission on Security, said at a meeting of the commission on Thursday. At a press conference the same day, LDP policy chief Takayuki Kobayashi said, “It is the responsibility of the government and ruling parties to hold discussions from the viewpoint of securing national interests and with no taboos.” In her parliamentary speech last month, Takaichi expressed her intention to achieve the goal of increasing Japan’s defense spending to 2 pct of its gross domestic product during fiscal 2025, two years earlier than initially targeted, as well as a plan to update the security documents during fiscal 2026. Takaichi has also told U.S. President Donald Trump of her commitment to increasing defense spending. The LDP is expected to discuss how much to increase defense spending and how to finance the increase. The party will also consider revising the current restrictions on exports of defense equipment. Furthermore, the party will have talks on the country’s three nonnuclear principles, which was declared by then Prime Minister Eisaku Sato in 1967 and have since been maintained as national policy. While the principles call for the country not to possess, produce or let in nuclear weapons, Takaichi has long advocated for reviewing the third principle. Speaking at a recent parliamentary meeting, Takaichi did not rule out a future review of the principles. The LDP is also expected to discuss whether to possess nuclear submarines. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]