Japan has announced that it will undertake a once-unthinkable $320 billion military build-up. This would allow us to arm ourselves with missiles capable of hitting China and prepare for the ongoing conflict amid regional tensions and the fear of war over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The government, led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, has set a precedent for Russia to set a precedent for China to attack Taiwan, threaten the nearby Japanese archipelago, cut off supplies of advanced semiconductors, and cut off sea lanes carrying oil from the Middle East. I’m afraid that I made Japan’s post-World War II constitution not formally recognize an army, limiting it to a nominal self-defense capability.
In a comprehensive five-year plan and revised National Security Strategy, the government on Friday stockpiled spare parts and other ammunition, strengthened logistics, developed cyberwarfare capabilities, and strengthened the ambitions of the United States and others. He said he would work more closely with like-minded countries to address threats. To dodge the established international order “Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a grave violation of the law prohibiting the use of force and has shaken the foundations of the international order,” the national security newspaper said. “The strategic challenge posed by China is the greatest that Japan has ever faced.” Opinion polls show most voters support Japan’s swift armament, unthinkable under the previous administration, which already houses US forces such as an aircraft carrier strike force and a naval expeditionary force. Some polls assume up to 70% of the electorate.
Kishida plans to double defense spending to about 2% of gross domestic product (GDP) over the next five years, increasing the Pentagon’s share of total public spending to about one-tenth. Based on its current budget, Japan will also become the world’s third-largest military spender, behind the United States and China. Instead, it suggests “constructive and stable relationships” and better communication. China’s foreign ministry on Friday urged Japan to “reflect on its policies”. “Japan ignores the facts, deviates from its commitment to China-Japan joint understanding and bilateral relations, and undermines China’s credibility,” foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters.
