Japan seeks record defense funding boost amid China threats
Photo: Japan wants to spend a record budget on defense (Getty Images)
Japan aims to increase its defense budget to a record $54 billion next year due to threats from China, reports Kyodo.
The publication, citing its sources, reports that Japan's Ministry of Defense plans to request a record budget of $54 billion for the 2025 fiscal year.
This budget will include a request for deploying drones to better protect remote islands amid China's "growing military assertiveness." This refers to the Nansei island chain, which is strategically important due to its proximity to Taiwan.
Japan has sharply increased its defense budget after the government pledged to finance defense enhancements amounting to 43 trillion yen by 2027. This year's Ministry of Defense budget is 7.9 trillion yen, also the largest in the country's history.
For years, Japan's annual defense spending was capped at about 1 percent of GDP, or just over 5 trillion yen. However, in 2022, the Japanese government updated its security documents, partly due to threats from North Korea.
Japan's support for Ukraine
Despite its geographical distance, Japan supports Ukraine. The country has not provided lethal weapons to the Ukrainian army but offers humanitarian and financial aid and supports sanctions against Russia and its allies.
Japan has joined the coalition to return Ukrainian children deported by Russia.
Additionally, Tokyo has approved an increase in arms exports abroad, primarily related to missiles for Patriot air defense systems. This will allow the US to replenish its own stocks and boost supplies of these missiles to Ukraine.
