CGTN Poll: 83.6% urge vigilance against Japan's accelerating military expansion under new militarism

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's first defense white paper since taking office has drawn widespread international criticism, while the Japanese right wing's promotion of the so-called "war profiteering theory" has sparked further public outrage. A global online survey conducted by CGTN found that 83.6% of respondents believe Japan's new militarism is accelerating its military expansion, warning that the international community should remain highly vigilant.

The new defense white paper devotes extensive coverage to highlighting the role of the defense industry in boosting Japan's international competitiveness and driving economic growth, promoting the so-called "war profiteering theory." In response, 72% of respondents said such claims were utterly absurd. Another 80.9% pointed out that the Japanese government has already pushed defense spending to 2% of GDP through measures including tax increases and spending reforms, marking the highest level since World War II. The continued rise in defense spending has placed a severe economic burden on the Japanese public. 

Since the Takaichi administration took office, Japan has continued to accelerate its military expansion and pursue the largest-scale military buildup since the end of World War II. The new defense white paper further signals plans to continue increasing defense spending. In response, 65.5% of respondents said that amid mounting fiscal pressure and soaring public debt, Japan's push to link defense expansion with public welfare is simply unsustainable.

Notably, Japan's new defense white paper uses an anime-style cover, seemingly seeking to downplay the wartime implications of military expansion. Earlier, Japan's Ministry of Defense began distributing a children's version of the defense white paper to elementary schools. These developments indicate that Japan is attempting to extend its push for military expansion beyond traditional defense areas into the economy, technology, industry, and even citizens' daily lives. In response, 79.1% of respondents said the Japanese government is promoting the integration of military elements into everyday life, warning that this trend toward the militarization of society warrants close international attention.

Meanwhile, Japan's new defense white paper continues its recent pattern of hyping up so-called "regional security threats" as a pretext for expanding its military capabilities and strengthening deployments, while seeking political and public legitimacy for moving beyond the constraints of its pacifist Constitution and the postwar international order.

The survey found that 87.5% of respondents believe that stoking security anxieties and exaggerating so-called "external threats" have become Japan's standard tactic for advancing military expansion and eroding the constraints of its postwar pacifist framework. Furthermore, 87% expressed concern that Japan's continued portrayal of so-called "regional threats," together with its efforts to deepen US-Japan military integration, will further complicate the security situation in the Asia-Pacific region. They called on the Japanese government to change its policies and earn the trust of the international community through concrete actions.

The survey was launched across CGTN's English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Russian platforms, attracting 2,343 online users who participated in the poll and shared their views within 24 hours.

(Cover: People gather in the rain to protest the Japanese government's recent military expansion policies, Tokyo, Japan, June 25, 2026. /VCG)