Why do some people say that Japan is currently the most low-key military power in the world? In fact, Japan's military power is not hidden, but for some special reasons, the government has adopted a camouflage and obfuscated approach to the development of the Self-Defense Forces and related industries. In recent years, online assessments of Japan's military power have been generally exaggerated, and analyses of nuclear weapons production capabilities, intercontinental missile development, and superior submarine technology have been accurate. However, some statements about Japan's stockpiling of large quantities of conventional weapons and the rapid mobilization of reserve personnel are clearly unrealistic.
First, let's look at the actual situation of Japan's Self-Defense Forces. According to 2020 data, Japan's Self-Defense Forces rank fifth in the world, with a defense budget of about $50 billion and a total number of about 300,000 people. These data show that the capabilities of the Self-Defense Forces have exceeded the so-called "defense needs", so there is no need to hide deep strength on the surface.
In terms of equipment, the Japan Self-Defense Forces have a series of high-performance equipment, including F-35B, F-2, F-15J fighters, C-2 transport aircraft, E-767 AWACS aircraft, Izumo-class helicopter destroyers, Kongo-class destroyers, Murama-class, Maya-class destroyers, Abukuma-class frigates, Whale-class, Soryu-class submarines, Kawasaki P-1 anti-submarine aircraft, Type 10 main battle tank, Patriot 3 air defense missiles, Apache gunships, Type 13 wheeled assault guns, etc. While some may consider equipment such as the F-2 and F-15J obsolete, these "old" equipment still play an important role in actual combat.
The quality of personnel of the Self-Defense Forces is also relatively high, which has a lot to do with Japan's developed national education system. The proportion of officers is also quite high internationally. However, over the past decade or so, Japan's military resources have decreased significantly, the birth rate is low and declining year by year, and the reserve force of 18-26 years old has also been greatly reduced. This means that Japan will face challenges in terms of personnel in the coming decades.
The military industry is a prominent aspect of Japan's hidden military power. Although most of its weapons and equipment originated in the United States, Japan has developed a unique industrial chain in its own military industrial complex and can produce all kinds of weapons and equipment except nuclear weapons. However, arms production accounts for less than 1 per cent of the gross national industrial value, resulting in equipment costs much higher than market prices, and the government has to bear the difference. Although the military industry is small in scale, it still follows the world trend. The government allows the application of relevant technologies to civilian products, and transfers advanced foreign technologies from time to time, which helps to maintain the development of the military industry, while also maintaining the concealment of military power when needed.
So why do some people think that Japan is hiding its military power? One reason is U.S. restrictions, because Japan has tens of thousands of U.S. troops stationed, and the United States has been restricting Japan's access to weapons with limiting properties. Although Japan-U.S. relations seem reliable for now, the United States has not relent in its oversight of Japan. In contrast, Germany withdrew its garrison because no one paid for it, which shows that Germany no longer has the ambitions it once had. In Japan, however, there have never been rumors of the withdrawal of American troops.
In this case, the only way for Japan to develop its military strength is to start in the field of military industry. At present, Japan is developing advanced weapons, including sixth-generation aircraft programs, XF9-1 aircraft engines, unmanned aerial vehicles, hypersonic weapons, hypersonic missile guidance technology, a variety of land systems, variable depth sonar systems, high-efficiency energy supply systems for submarines, long-life submarine batteries, medium-range air-to-air missiles, multi-purpose missile systems, electronic warfare weapons, etc. In modern warfare, the gap in technology and weapons is crucial, which is why Japan really "hidden" its military strength.
Article 9 of the constitution only restricts the development of war forces, and does not clearly stipulate the development of equipment, which provides space for Japan to develop on the sidelines.
Before summarizing the above, we can see that Japan does not hide deep military power, but for special reasons to adopt a camouflage and obscuring approach. Japan's military strength has shown excellence in all aspects, but it also faces some challenges, such as a decline in the number of personnel. Through the development of the military industry and the development of advanced weapons, Japan has maintained a certain degree of concealment while maintaining its military strength.