Japan's planned security publicity campaign raises concerns

TOKYO -- Japan's government plans to step up public outreach on security policy from late October, targeting different age groups with tailored messaging as it prepares to revise its three key security documents by the end of this year, Kyodo News reported Saturday, a move that has raised concerns in Japan.

The government plans to release videos produced in collaboration with public figures on the internet and social media to reach younger audiences. Advertisements will also be placed on Tokyo subway trains and at Shibuya Crossing, a major intersection in the capital, highlighting the links between national security and everyday life.

For middle-aged and older audiences, the campaign will use social media, television and shopping mall advertisements to explain how security policy relates to family and personal safety, the report said.

The Japanese government plans to revise its three key national security documents by the end of 2026, with "new ways of warfare" and sustained combat capabilities expected to be among the key focuses. The revision is also expected to set a target for further increases in defense spending.

Kyodo News reported that the campaign could provoke a backlash if it is perceived as an attempt to steer public opinion in favor of specific policies, potentially evoking memories of prewar Japan.

Ukeru Magosaki, a former Japanese Foreign Ministry official, said Japan was witnessing developments reminiscent of the prewar period, including militarization, control over public discourse, the neglect of vulnerable groups and the incitement of hostility toward neighboring countries.

Magosaki said the government's intensified publicity drive was intended to strengthen Japan's military capabilities and position the country as a "pawn" of the United States.