Headline: Disability Advocates Petition Prime Minister for Increased Welfare, Not Defense Spending

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Headline: Disability Advocates Petition Prime Minister for Increased Welfare, Not Defense Spending

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On August 27, 2026, a group of 114 disability advocates in Japan delivered a letter to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, advocating for an increase in social welfare funding instead of a rising defense budget. The advocates expressed concerns that an expansion of defense spending could escalate into conflict, thereby endangering the lives and livelihoods of people with disabilities.

Japan’s defense budget has seen significant increases in recent years. For fiscal year 2026, the defense spending reached a record ¥9 trillion. This is part of a broader five-year plan, initiated in late 2022, to allocate a total of ¥43 trillion for defense-related spending through fiscal year 2028, aiming to reach 2% of GDP. The Ministry of Defense also plans to request an even higher budget of approximately ¥8.9 trillion for fiscal year 2027.

These increases in military expenditure have been met with various protests across Japan. Citizens have rallied against the government’s military expansion policies, particularly in light of proposed revisions to the pacifist constitution and increased military capabilities. Protesters have called for the government to adhere to Article 9 of the constitution, which prohibits the country from using military force to resolve international conflicts.

Meanwhile, social security costs in Japan also reached a record ¥39.1 trillion in fiscal year 2026. However, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare made an extraordinary revision in January 2026 to reduce basic compensation for newly established disability welfare service providers for fiscal year 2026, citing the need to control growing expenditures and maintain system sustainability. This decision has raised concerns that it could discourage new service providers and worsen existing shortages, particularly in underserved regions. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has formally requested a reconsideration of this nationwide fee reduction, warning of disruptions to service development.

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