Address by Prime Minister TAKAICHI Sanae at the Meeting of the Ministry of Defense and Self-Defense Force Command Personnel

(Prime Minister Takaichi) 
To all Self-Defense Force Senior Personnel who assume the responsibility for the core of Japan’s national defense: as we gather here today, I would like to speak to you about what the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) must do to resolutely defend to the end the lives and the peaceful livelihoods of the Japanese people and to ensure that the SDF will continue to live up to the trust and expectations of the people.

In the wake of earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture in July, the SDF has been doing its utmost from the very moment the disaster struck. This includes information gathering via aircraft; rescue operations at various locations such as AEON MALL Kumamoto; and support for the daily lives of disaster victims through the delivery of supplies, water distribution, and bathing assistance. I have been informed that we have received words of gratitude for the SDF’s wide-ranging support based on local needs, including health care provided by nursing officers and the establishment of children’s play areas aboard vessels.

The SDF is truly putting the Government’s resolve to “do everything we can” into concrete action on the ground. Some SDF personnel, or their family members, may have been affected by the disaster themselves. Once again, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation and respect to all the personnel who are devoting themselves to fulfilling their duties under these difficult circumstances.

The SDF has thus far saved countless lives and supported the daily lives of disaster victims at the scenes of various disasters. The public expectations and gratitude for these disaster relief operations are invaluable to the SDF.

Moreover, in regions far from Japan such as the Middle East and Africa, some SDF personnel are engaged in counter-piracy operations and information-gathering activities even at this very moment, in scorching heat conditions. Other personnel are fully committed to monitoring and surveillance activities 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to resolutely defend Japan’s territory, territorial waters, and airspace. “Defending our country to safeguard its peace and independence and maintain national security” – to fulfill this most important mission of the SDF, still other personnel endure any rigorous training. It is not only through disaster relief operations but also through sincere efforts accumulated day and night in these activities that has forged the people’s unwavering trust in the SDF. As they have earned this trust, the SDF and all its members are the pride of Japan.

Neither the SDF’s activities nor the fundamental reinforcement of defense capabilities, which the Government is currently pushing ahead with, can be achieved without the understanding and cooperation of the people. I expect all SDF Senior Personnel to strongly lead their respective units to maintain the trust that has been built up so far and to make it even stronger.

The current “three documents,” namely, the National Security Strategy, the National Defense Strategy, and the Defense Buildup Program, will be revised by the end of this year to set out a new direction for strengthening our defense capabilities.

In the less than four years since their formulation in 2022, the security environment has become even more complex, and various nations are rushing to build systems that enable the use of AI and the large-scale deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles, while preparing for protracted conflicts. Japan will also identify these issues as key challenges in its deliberations on revising the “three documents.”

The peace we have enjoyed up until yesterday does not guarantee that we will continue to enjoy peace from tomorrow onwards. Without the determination to embrace change and proactively and boldly venture into a new world, we cannot protect the lives and peaceful livelihoods of our citizens. I express my sincere respect for the wisdom and experience that you, the senior personnel present here today, have accumulated over many years. However, I also request that you constantly maintain a clear-eyed view of the changing realities of the world while keeping a critical eye on what has been considered “common sense” thus far. Furthermore, in order to utilize technologies such as AI and unmanned assets, which are evolving at a pace completely different from conventional equipment, it goes without saying that we must introduce them with even greater of sense of urgency; at the same time, I ask that you constantly check whether our existing organizational structures and systems can accommodate these changes.

It is essential that the SDF personnel on the front lines, who actually utilize these technologies, be the first to recognize the need for organizational and systemic reform, and that you, the senior personnel, put those needed changes into action. Isn’t this virtuous cycle crucial for fully leveraging our superior technological capabilities?

I once had the privilege of studying under Mr. MATSUSHITA Konosuke, the founder of what is now Panasonic Corporation, at the Matsushita Institute of Government and Management. Mr. Matsushita taught that what is important is “the gathering of collective wisdom,” which refers to “the wisdom of many people.”

Generally speaking, armed organizations have strict chains of command, where a top-down approach is the norm; however, this carries an inherent risk that the realities and insights from the front lines may not reach higher-ranking officers. I believe that it is crucial for the Ministry of Defense and the SDF as an armed organization to consciously gather feedback from the front lines and establish mechanisms to pool together “collective wisdom” to drive organizational innovation and build resilience.

Going forward, in order to defend Japan, we must not only rely on traditional Ground, Maritime, and Air equipment but also understand and thoroughly utilize specialized fields such as AI, unmanned assets, space, cyberspace, and the electromagnetic spectrum. We must mobilize the wisdom of experts in respective fields, SDF personnel with on-the-ground knowledge, and the commanders who lead frontline units. Working together with other ministries and agencies, local governments, private companies, and research institutions will also become more important than ever before.

I request that each of you fully utilize your knowledge, experience, and judgment in the field of defense, while always maintaining a broad perspective, eagerly embracing new insights, thoroughly considering what kind of defense capabilities are required in the coming era, and taking decisive action.

Even if we successfully secure an adequate budget and acquire excellent equipment, it is ultimately “people” who operate them. Without the strength of each and every personnel, we cannot resolutely defend to the end the lives and peaceful livelihoods of our citizens.

What is required of you, the senior personnel entrusted with the lives of your service members, is to actively create an environment conducive to creativity and ingenuity, so that each of them can maximize their potential. You are expected to trust your subordinates, listen to their opinions, and make decisive final decisions.

On my part, I will continue to improve the environment which includes enhancing the treatment of SDF personnel, so that all members can devote themselves to the noble mission of national defense with high morale and pride.

We will resolutely defend to the end the lives and peaceful livelihoods of Japanese citizens, and we will make the Japanese archipelago stronger and more prosperous. As Prime Minister and the Commander-in-Chief of the SDF, I will fulfill this heavy responsibility together with all of you.

Let me conclude my address by expressing my earnest hope that all senior personnel will demonstrate greater dedication to their respective duties with strong resolve.