Reference News Network, December 14 report: According to Kyodo News, December 13 report, multiple relevant sources revealed on December 12 that the Japanese government is coordinating on the defense budget for fiscal year 2026, planning to include an amount of up to 9 trillion yen (approximately 58 billion U.S. dollars), the largest so far.
The report said that this is the fourth year of the "Defense Capability Enhancement Plan" covering five years until fiscal year 2027, with a total investment of about 43 trillion yen, exceeding the original budget of about 8.7 trillion yen for fiscal year 2025. The budget will be used to acquire long-range missiles as a means of counterattack capability (enemy base attack capability) and to build attack drones for the "SHIELD" coastal defense system using drones.
The report also said that the cabinet meeting is expected to finalize the budget plan by late this month.
The report mentioned that in order to strengthen capabilities in the space domain, a new "Space Operations Group" (provisional name) will be established, and the Air Self-Defense Force will be reorganized into the "Air and Space Self-Defense Force." In addition, the 15th Infantry Division based at Naha, Ground Self-Defense Force, will be upgraded to a division, aiming to strengthen the "defense system" in the southwest region.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/7583543184458875392/
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