Among wealthy economies, Japan has long been one of the lowest spenders on Defence as a percentage of GDP.Japan’s culture of pacifism is rooted in the nation’s post-war experience and the restrictions on its rights and ability to wage war set out in Article 9 of its post-war constitution.But Japan’s economy is deeply dependent on the global security situation, and with rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific and the shock of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine Japan’s plans have undergone a sudden transformation. Old taboos about long range weapons have dropped away, and a huge influx of spending aimed at overhauling JSDF capabilities is now being planned. There is no change to Japan’s constitution, and Japan’s cultural and legal restrictions on the use of force remain deeply entrenched – but the capabilities of the JSDF are likely to change. In this video, I look at Japan’s strategic position and the present strength of the JSDF, unpack Japan’s 2022 defence strategy, and what impact it may have on both Japan’s capabilities going forward.