Initial Disclosure Date: Oct 23, 2013

On October 21, 2013, the Advisory Panel on National Security and Defense to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had a meeting at his official residence, inviting the prime minister as well. The panel crafted an outline of Japan’s first National Security Strategy, which will provide a long-term vision for diplomatic and national defense policy. The Japanese government decided to launch the first strategy because it realized the necessity to have a comprehensive strategy to guide diplomatic and defense policy, which tends to be poorly coordinated between different ministries. Since the strategy will serve as the top one for Japan’s diplomacy and national security, it will be the basis for the new National Defense Program Guidelines, which the Cabinet Meeting will adopt this December, and also for a Japanese version of National Security Council, which the government intends to establish by the end of 2013. The government plans to review the strategy within ten years.

The basic philosophy of the outline is Proactive Pacifism proposed by Prime Minister Abe to serve as a pacifist country to contribute to the peace, prosperity, and stability of the world. The advisory panel included the revision of the Three Principles on Arms Exports or Three Ps and better cyber defenses but not the execution of the collective self-defense right because another advisory panel is working on this issue now. The Japanese government expects the revision of Three Ps to raise the technical level of the Japanese defense industry and decrease costs to procure defense equipment.

Sources:

1. Sankei Shimbun, “Kokka Anpo Senryaku gaiyo wo kettei Chucho no gunji kyoi meiki [The Japanese government agreed on an outline of the National Security Strategy and referred to threats posed by China and North Korea],” October 21, 2013,
   http://sankei.jp.msn.com/politics/news/131021/plc13102123250011-n1.htm
2. Jiji, “Kaiyo Saiba boei kyoka = Chugoku, Kitachosen wo sotei  seihu ga Anpo senryaku gaiyo [The Japanese government crafted an outline of the National Security Strategy with China and North Korea in its mind and stated to advance maritime and cyber security],” October 21, 2013,
   http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=pol_30&k=2013102100429
3. Nihon Keizai Shimbun, “Buki yushutsu sangensoku minaoshi meiki Seihu-kon ga Anpo senryaku gaiyo [An advisory panel crafted an outline of National Security Strategy and referred to the revision of the Three Principles on Arms Exports],” October 22, 2013,
   http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASFS21034_R21C13A0PP8000/

※ Each company name, an organization name, and a brand name are a trade name of each company and each organization, or a registered trademark.