Japan’s 2026 Defense White Paper, which runs to a record 598 pages, for the first time openly portrays defense spending as an engine of economic growth. By deeply intertwining defense with the economy, the Japanese government is accelerating its slide toward the abyss of “military Keynesianism.”
The so-called “economic growth through militarization” is, in essence, a self-serving pretext for expanding the military-industrial complex. By exaggerating perceived threats in the region and exacerbating regional divisions, Japanese politicians are diverting resources from public welfare areas such as healthcare and education to fill the coffers of war preparations.
Such a distorted model of development, built at the expense of people’s well-being, will do little to revive Japan’s sluggish economy. Instead, it risks awakening the ghost of militarism and posing a serious threat to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
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