74% of Japanese Want Stronger Defense, But Few See Tax Hikes as Best Source of Funding, Survey Finds

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:25 JST, March 27, 2026

Seventy-four percent of respondents said they support Japan strengthening its defense capabilities, while 24% said they were against it, in a recent nationwide survey jointly conducted by The Yomiuri Shimbun and the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA) in Tokyo.

Regarding increasing defense spending to strengthen defense capabilities, 58% said they were in favor, exceeding the 41% who were opposed.

The government aims to revise three security-related documents, including the National Security Strategy, by the end of the year. Increasing security-related spending and securing funding sources to strengthen defense capabilities will be key challenges.

As the main sources of funding for increasing defense spending, 40% chose “cutting budgets other than defense spending,” which was the most common response, followed by “issuing government bonds,” chosen by 18%, and “increasing taxes,” chosen by 7%. Thirty percent of respondents said there was “no need to increase defense spending.”

Regarding the use of cutting-edge technologies from research institutions, such as universities, and private companies for defense purposes, 70% were in favor, while only 27% were opposed.

When asked which country or region would wield the greatest influence in the international community, 71% cited “the United States,” far outpacing “China,” cited by 16%, and others. Asked whether the U.S.-Japan alliance serves as a deterrent against attacks on Japan, 79% said they think so, significantly outnumbering the 19% who disagreed.

The survey also included questions about economic security and food security. When asked to select multiple priorities for securing “specified critical products” — such as semiconductors — whose supply disruptions would have a major impact on society and the economy, the top response was “strengthening domestic production capacity,” chosen by 78%, followed by “promoting the recycling of reusable materials,” chosen by 55%, and “advancing technological development to reduce dependence on such materials,” chosen by 52%.

Regarding the government’s goal of raising Japan’s food self-sufficiency rate to 45% by fiscal 2030, 54% responded that it was “appropriate,” while 40% said “the government should aim for an even higher self-sufficiency rate” and 4% said “there is no need to raise the self-sufficiency rate.”

The survey questions were jointly developed by The Yomiuri Shimbun and the JIIA. The survey was conducted among 3,000 eligible voters nationwide, with 2,085 responding. The response rate was 70%.