Japan’s biggest defence budget approved

Published December 25, 2015
Shinzo Abe
Shinzo Abe

TOKYO: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet on Thursday approved Japan’s biggest ever annual defence budget, as the country bolsters its military amid territorial rows and concerns over China’s expanding naval reach.

The cabinet approved 5.05 trillion yen ($41.8bn) in defence spending for the next fiscal year starting in April, with the focus on strengthening protection of a string of southern islands, including Okinawa, that stretch from Japan’s mainland to waters near Taiwan.

The allocation is part of a record 96.7 trillion yen national budget that will now be sent to parliament for debate and approval early next year.

The defence budget is 1.5 per cent higher than the current fiscal year which was the previous record high, and marks the fourth straight annual increase in spending.

The trend reflects the hawkish Abe’s attempt to build a military more active and collaborative with the United States, its biggest ally.

“We expect the latest procurement would contribute further to cooperation between Japan and the United States,” a defence ministry official told reporters.

Japan is also wary of a possible escalation of tensions with China, where steady hikes in defence spending have raised concerns in Tokyo and Washington.

China’s navy, air force and coast guard have increased activity in waters near Japan in recent years as Beijing seeks to more actively project its growing military power in the region and back up its claim in a territorial dispute with Tokyo over a group of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2015

Opinion

Editorial

IHK resolution
Updated 08 Nov, 2024

IHK resolution

If the BJP administration were to listen to Kashmiris, it could pave the way for the resumption of the political process in IHK.
Climate realities
08 Nov, 2024

Climate realities

THE Air Quality Index in Lahore once again shot past the 1,000-level mark on Wednesday morning, registering at an...
Rule by fear
08 Nov, 2024

Rule by fear

THE abduction of an opposition MNA, as claimed by PTI, is yet another grim episode in Pakistan’s ongoing crisis of...
Trump 2.0
Updated 07 Nov, 2024

Trump 2.0

It remains to be seen how his promises to bring ‘peace’ to Middle East reconcile with his blatantly pro-Israel bias.
Fait accompli
07 Nov, 2024

Fait accompli

A SLEW of secretively conceived and hastily enacted legislation has achieved its intended result: the powers of the...
IPP contracts
07 Nov, 2024

IPP contracts

THE government expects the ongoing ‘negotiations’ with power producers aimed at revising the terms of sovereign...