Japan's Weapon Imports Rise to 6th in the World
March 9, Kyodo News: According to a report on global arms trade volumes from 2021 to 2025 released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in Sweden. Compared to the same period in 2016-20, Japan's weapon imports increased by 76%, rising from 11th to 6th place in the world.
An analysis shows that the import volume from countries and regions wary of China's increasing military capabilities has increased.
Related to the Russia-Ukraine war, European countries have also rapidly increased their imports. Global trade volume increased by 9.2%.
The research institution defines and calculates "trade volume" based on the number and value of transactions of fighter jets, drones, and missiles.
The report pointed out that Japan continues to import high-performance weapons and strengthen its defense capabilities. Taiwan's weapon imports also increased by 54%.
Meanwhile, China saw a 72% drop in imports due to its efforts to strengthen domestic production of weapons, marking the first time since 1991-95 that it failed to enter the top ten, ranking 21st.
Ukraine was first, with an increase of more than 100 times. Among NATO members, Belgium increased by 1141%, and Germany by 914%. The background is the unreliable alliance relationships between Russia and the US-Europe.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1859231150341129/
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