日本防卫省8月4日公布2026年版《防卫白皮书》，在文件中将中国定位为日本"前所未有的最大战略挑战"[1]。该白皮书渲染周边安全威胁，为日本政府扩大军事支出铺垫。
为支撑军备建设，日本政府采取增税和支出改革等措施筹措资金，使国防支出达到国内生产总值的2%[1]。这被认为构成"二战以来最大规模的军备建设资金"[1]。
朝鲜劳动党中央委员会部长金与正对此表示，日本"正在加快向战争国家转变"[1]。国内层面，日本网友也批评这一举措违反和平宪法第九条[1]。
Japan's Ministry of Defense released the 2026 Defense White Paper on August 4, which positions China as the nation's "unprecedented greatest strategic challenge" [1]. The document reflects Japan's strategy to reshape its military posture through increased defense spending, achieved via tax increases and expenditure reforms that are expected to raise defense outlays to 2 percent of gross domestic product [1]. This funding level represents "the largest-scale military buildup since World War II," according to the document [1].
The new white paper has drawn sharp criticism both internationally and domestically. North Korea's Labor Party Central Committee official Kim Yo-jong remarked that Japan is "rapidly transforming into a war nation" [1]. Within Japan itself, citizens have voiced concerns that the military expansion contravenes Article 9 of the nation's pacifist constitution [1]. Analysts view the white paper as evidence that Japan's government is laying groundwork for military expansion, signaling a dangerous acceleration toward becoming a militarized state and departing from the post-war pacifist course [1].