NSPIR Current Issues No. 36: A Contracts-Based Survey of Developments in Japan’s Defense Industry

Japan is seeking to pull itself from an 11-year decline in defense spending with significant budget increases, including its largest year-over-year increase in over two decades. As scholars and analysts parse the implications of the budget trajectory for the future of Japan and the security environment in Asia, it is timely to assess the country’s defense industrial base. This paper surveys the structure of Japan’s top defense contractors to demonstrate how the industry can support the country's attempt to emerge from a decade-long drawdown in its defense budget.