Japan considers adding ability to sustain prolonged combat to defense strategy

The Japanese government is considering explicitly including the strengthening of ability to sustain prolonged combat, known as keisen noryoku, in its National Defense Strategy. This revision is part of a broader update to three major security-related documents scheduled for the end of the year.

The move follows lessons learned from the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and recent US military operations against Iran, both of which demonstrated how quickly ammunition and missiles can be consumed during conflict. The government aims to increase stockpiles of munitions and ensure production systems can scale up during emergencies to maintain the reliability of its deterrence.

While there is general understanding of the direction within the administration, some officials have expressed caution regarding language that assumes a state of war. The final wording will be determined following coordination with ruling party members.