Japan in August 2026: the most important developments in security
In August 2026 Japan's security agenda was led by the announcement that the United States, Japan and South Korea will hold joint military exercises in September, including the multidomain "Freedom Edge" drill, focused on nuclear and missile defense. The three countries said the exercise is defensive and continues trilateral cooperation despite President Donald Trump's conciliatory approach toward Pyongyang. On August 17 reports said Trump had ordered the Pentagon to significantly reduce drills with South Korea.
North Korea kept up missile activity. Kim Yo Jong issued a military threat on August 5 over a Japanese missile test. North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward Japan on August 6, and another on August 12, which Japan's Defense Ministry said was believed to have fallen outside its exclusive economic zone. On August 20 it fired around a dozen short-range ballistic missiles into the sea, according to South Korea's military, after Trump promised a meeting with Kim Jong Un. North Korea was also reported to be seeking to raise its troop deployment in Russia to 50,000.
Japan set out a military build-up. On August 4 the government outlined a plan citing threats from China, Russia and North Korea, with officials calling the need to boost the military "urgent"; a defense report also called for a stronger industrial base and arms exports and named combat drones as key. The 2026 defense white paper, released on August 10, describes a "new era of crisis" in the Indo-Pacific. Japan announced on August 18 plans to test hypersonic missiles in Australia, and upgraded its police intelligence department to a bureau. China's defense spokesperson called Japan's "remilitarization" a real threat to regional peace, and China's ambassador said Japan has enough plutonium for 5,500 nuclear warheads. A Chinese vessel was suspected of conducting a survey within Japan's exclusive economic zone.
Russia also featured. Putin visited a disputed Kuril island on August 13, his first visit there, and Japan protested. Around August 20 Russia held missile drills near the Southern Kuril Islands.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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