Mon. Feb 17th, 2025


Japan will modernize its cruise missiles, increase their range and develop hypersonic weapons. The country intends to significantly increase military spending to counter the growing threat from China.

The Defense Ministry on Wednesday presented a record budget proposal of 5.6 trillion yen ($40 billion) for the fiscal year beginning in April 2023. This year, spending is planned at 5.4 trillion yen.

But the final total will be at least 6 trillion yen ($43.3 billion) after additional defense spending is included at the end of 2022, when a new national security strategy is unveiled, according to people with knowledge of the ministry’s discussions. In this case, the increase in Japanese defense spending will be one of the most significant since the Second World War.

Over the past decade, Tokyo has gradually increased its defense budget, but it has remained at around 1% of GDP. But now the situation must change. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has vowed to “significantly” modernize the military after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine heightened fears in Japan that China could try to seize Taiwan.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party has called for defense spending to be raised to 2% of GDP, as in NATO countries, but the government has not yet set a specific target.

People familiar with discussions at the Defense Ministry say the development of its own cruise missiles with a range of more than 1,000 km is being considered. This would allow Japan to launch strikes from warships and aircraft against targets in North Korea and China.

Funds are also allocated for drones, cybersecurity, research in the field of hypersonic weapons, and the development of space capabilities.

Part of Japan’s national security strategy, which adheres to a defensive doctrine, is expected to include the use of coastal anti-ship missile systems as the basis of a first-strike capability against enemy bases.


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