Жапонның қорғаныс министрлігі және ұлттық қауіпсіздігі

Japanese department for military and national security

The Ministry of Defense (防衛省) is an executive department of the Government of Japan responsible for preserving the peace and independence of Japan, and maintaining the country's national security and the Japan Self Defense Forces. The ministry is headed by the Minister of Defense, and is the largest ministry in the Japanese government. The ministry is headquartered in Ichigaya, Shinjuku, Tokyo, and is required by Article 66 of the Constitution to be completely subordinate to civilian authority. Its head has the rank of Minister of State. He is assisted by two vice ministers, one parliamentary and one administrative; and the internal bureaus. The highest figure in the command structure is the Prime Minister, who is responsible directly to the National Diet. The MOD, alongside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, work on crafting Japanese security policy. In a national emergency, the Prime Minister is authorized to order the various components of the Japan Self Defense Forces (JSDF) into action, subject to the consent of the Diet. In times of extreme emergency, that approval might be obtained after the fact. Their activities are regulated under the Ministry of Defense Establishment Law (防衛省設置法).

On 8 June 2006, the Cabinet of Japan endorsed a bill elevating the Defense Agency (防衛庁) under the Cabinet Office to full fledged cabinet level Ministry of Defense (防衛省). On 9 June 2006, the "Bill for Partial Revision of the Defense Agency Establishment Law" was submitted in the Diet. On 30 November 2006, the "Bill for Partial Revision of the Defense Agency Establishment Law" was passed by the House of Representatives. A bill that relates to the transition of the JDA from agency to a ministry under the Defense Agency Establishment Law on 15 December 2006 with approval from the House of Councillors. This had support from the LDP, Democratic Party of Japan, Komeito and the People's New Party representatives. and in the House of Councillors. Only the Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party opposed the change, claiming that it can lead Japan into a future war. The Ministry of Defense was formally established on 9 January 2007, taking its present name and status as a ministry. Subsequently, its Defense Facilities Administrative Agency was dissolved and integrated into the Ministry of Defense.

The Japanese Defense Agency was established on 1 July 1954. Until May 2000, it was based in Akasaka (currently occupied by Tokyo Midtown). The JDA was placed under the authority of the Prime Minister's Office under Article 2 of the Defense Agency Establishment Law before it was placed under the Cabinet Office in 2001. The internal bureaus, especially the Bureau of Defense Policy, Bureau of Finance, and the Bureau of Equipment, are often headed by officials from other ministries and are the main centers of power and instruments of civilian control in the Defense Agency. The Bureau of Defense Policy is responsible for drafting defense policy and programs, for determining day to day operational activities, and for information gathering and analysis in the JSDF. The Bureau of Finance is instrumental in developing the Defense Agency budget and in establishing spending priorities for the Defense Agency and the JSDF. The Bureau of Equipment, organized into subunits for each of the military services, focuses on equipment procurement. Before any major purchase is recommended to the Diet by the Defense Agency, it has to be reviewed by each of these bureaus.

Defense of Japan (防衛白書) is an annual white paper released by Japan's Ministry of Defense. It serves as a comprehensive report on Japan's defense policy, national security, and related matters. The paper is translated from Japanese into both English and Chinese, and released on the Ministry of Defense's website for anyone from the public to read. Digital archives are also provided on their website, going back as far as 2014.