Japan's Cabinet approved a record defense budget proposal on Friday, which aims to invest more than 9 trillion yen in the fiscal year 2026, representing a 9.4% increase, as the fourth year of a five-year military expansion plan, with the goal of raising defense spending to 2% of GDP by March next year. Defense Minister Shun'ei Koizumi stated that this is the minimum necessary investment under Japan's "most severe and complex security environment" since the war, emphasizing that the military expansion does not change Japan's "peaceful nation" positioning. The budget focuses on enhancing long-range counterattack capabilities and the defense of the Southwest Islands, including the procurement of cruise missiles and unmanned equipment; over 970 billion yen will be allocated for "stand-off" missile capabilities, deploying upgraded 12-type anti-ship missiles, and accelerating the deployment progress in Kumamoto Prefecture; additional funding will also be used to build an unmanned system covering the air, sea surface, and underwater. This decision comes amid rising regional tensions, with Japan's current security strategy listing China as the biggest strategic challenge, and Prime Minister Asako Obuchi recently stating that Japan may intervene if a situation arises in the Taiwan Strait. China has criticized Japan for accelerating its military buildup and deviating from the path of peaceful development.
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Original article: toutiao.com/article/1852626884904971/
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