New Delhi: The government of Japan on Monday announced 52 billion USD for the military budget. This is the ninth consecutive rise in military spending and the new budget will help Japan to develop advanced stealth fighter jets and longer-range anti-ship missiles to counter China’s growing military power.
The Ministry of Defence of Japan will receive a record 5.34 trillion yen for the year starting next April. 5.34 trillion yen which is around US$51.7 billion.
According to defence experts – a few months back – China had announced to increase its defence budget by 6.6 percent which was already warning signals for Chinese neighbour nations.
To counter any unpredicted attacks of enemy – especially China – Suga and his predecessor, Shinzo Abe’s government took the major steps to increase the strength of its military forces and decided to provide them new planes, missiles and aircraft carriers with greater range.
Japan is buying longer-range missiles and considering arming and training its military to strike distant land targets in China, North Korea and other parts of Asia.
Japanese company Mitsubishi and American company Lockheed Martin have already decided to build stealth fighter jets for Japanese air force.
Japan will purchase six F-35 stealth fighters and two short-takeoff and vertical-landing (STOVL) B variants helicopters which cost around US$628 million.
Japan will spend US$323 million to begin development of a long-range anti-ship missile to defend its south-western Okinawa island chain.
The military will also get US$912 million to build two compact warships that can operate with fewer sailors than conventional destroyers, easing pressure on a navy struggling to find recruits in an ageing population.
According to a media report – Japan is looking to purchase two new warships to carry powerful new Aegis air and ballistic missile defence radars that have much as three times the range of older models.
_Vinayak.Barot
