Japan is moving further away from defense-only postwar strategy

The annual defense white papers Japan has released in recent years have delivered the same message: the security situation in the neighborhood is severe. They have come up with the same suggestion, too: Japan's defense capabilities must be increased.

The primary threats to Japan in these papers are the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, China and, sometimes, Russia.

Various challenges and destabilizing factors become more "tangible" and "acute", says this year's report that was approved by the Japanese Cabinet on Tuesday. The white paper recommends that necessary and sufficient defense capabilities be developed "qualitatively" and "quantitatively". Actually, Japan's defense budget has increased every year since Shinzo Abe began his second stint as prime minister in late 2012.