Germany and Japan are spending billions of dollars to strengthen their militaries in ways they have not done since World War II ended. Both countries are moving fast, buying new weapons and changing how their armed forces work.

Japan's changes are more dramatic. In 2022, the government decided to double how much it spends on defense each year. In 2024, Japan spent about 7.7 trillion yen (roughly $50 billion) on military expenses. Starting in 2026, Japan will buy Tomahawk cruise missiles—long-range weapons that can strike targets far away. It is also deploying anti-ship missiles by early 2026, according to AP News. These weapons let Japan attack enemies from a distance without putting soldiers in immediate danger. Japan is making this shift because of two threats: China's military might near Taiwan, and North Korea's growing stock of missiles.

Germany is also rearming, but for different reasons. Berlin has promised to spend 152 billion euros on defense through 2029—that is about 3.5 percent of what Germany produces economically each year. NATO leaders endorsed this level of spending, and Germany wants to have Europe's strongest military by 2039, including new long-range weapons, Defense News reported.

How Germany and Japan Are Working Together

What is less obvious is that these two countries are starting to coordinate. In March 2026, Germany's defense minister visited Tokyo and suggested a reciprocal access agreement. This is basically a deal that lets each country's military train and do logistics work on the other's soil without asking permission every single time. Japan already has similar deals with Australia and Britain. Adding Germany to that list would connect Europe's largest economy to Japan's security network, according to IP Defense Forum.

Why does this matter? Germany wants to show it is still important in the Pacific region. Japan wants to show its military buildup is not just following America's lead, but comes from real security worries. Think of it like two neighbors building stronger fences—they also decide to coordinate their patrols.

Both countries are facing the same criticism. Russia says their military buildup is dangerous and repeats their fears about a return to World War II, Reuters reported in May 2026. Japan called this "ridiculous." Russia uses this argument regularly since it invaded Ukraine. In both Germany and Japan, people still remember World War II, so military expansion makes some citizens nervous.

Why This Is Happening Now

This timing is not random. Both countries relied on old security systems that no longer work. Germany was protected by NATO and got cheap energy from Russia. Japan was protected by America and lived in a peaceful region. That world has changed. China is stronger, Russia invaded Ukraine, and North Korea keeps building missiles. So Germany and Japan are rebuilding their militaries to protect themselves.

The question now is whether they can actually deliver. Building weapons takes time, and spending huge amounts of money efficiently is hard. But if Germany and Japan sign that deal to work together—and if that deal includes sharing intelligence and military support, not just training—it would show something important: their separate military buildups are becoming one connected system linking Europe and Asia in a way the old postwar world never allowed.