Japan’s Ministry of Defense has proposed a relaxation of the self-defense force’s weapons use policy in response to the threat of foreign drones and balloons violating Japanese airspace. The country’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito Party have agreed to the proposal, which would allow for the use of weapons against drones and balloons that obstruct the safe flight of aircraft, even if such action doesn’t qualify as legitimate self-defense. The lawmakers were briefed on the proposal on Feb. 16 and approved the idea on the same day.
Chase Doak, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
This marks a significant shift in Japan’s defense strategy. Previously, Article 84 of the Self-Defense Forces law only allowed the use of “necessary measures” against foreign aircraft that violate Japanese airspace to prompt them to land or leave. The Japanese government has now clarified that in the cases of legitimate self-defense and emergency evacuations, weapons can be used against drones and balloons.
The new policy is in response to China’s suspected unmanned reconnaissance balloon that violated Japanese airspace, posing a significant challenge for Japanese security. As unmanned aircraft are more challenging to remove from airspace than manned aircraft, they pose a higher threat to the safety of civilian aircraft.
The new policy focuses on two criteria: the protection of Japanese citizens’ lives and property on the ground, and the safety of aircraft in flight. If either of these criteria is met, the use of weapons is authorized. However, unmanned aircraft’s limited risk to human life must be taken into account.
The proposed change in policy also highlights the need for improved technology to deal with the threat of unmanned aerial vehicles. The US military had to shoot down a balloon at a height of around 60,000 feet (about 18,000 meters), which is higher than the general maximum flying altitude of most combat aircraft. The Liberal Democratic Party’s committee pointed out that specialized training is necessary to improve Japan’s technical capabilities in this area.
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