politics

Defense ministry seeks record Y5.26 tril budget

35 Comments

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© Thomson Reuters 2017.

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

35 Comments
Login to comment

A 2.5% spike in military spending is a very very large spike.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Inflated budget

Always asking for more

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Big budget for very expensive needed equipment. Still dwarfed by China's military spending though. At least these countries aren't letting their people starve to buy new toys.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

The Merchants Of Death have forced Trump to send more troops back into Afghanistan and now this:

The proposed budget, however, may be pared back by Ministry of Finance officials who must juggle growing outlays on health and social spending as the nation's population ages.

One is sure that the elderly, the LDP core support, will be thrilled to have their pension and healthcare cut to support the American Death Industry.

8 ( +12 / -4 )

This will just result in an ongoing cold war of Asia. Increased isolation from collaboration and intensifyed military expenditures on both sides, China/Russia/North Korea VS USA/Japan/South Korea. The next we'll see is Japan and USA pushing China's patience in the South China Sea. China's presence in these seas are undisputed since the founding of China 2000 BC. China has consitently dealt with pirates and secured these vast areas of waters for more than 4 millenniums! For any country to dispute China's presence in these waters, is like disputing China's overall presence in this world.

I know many japanese and americans don't like to hear this and would probably disgust this message, but when you think of it, it's actually only China that've made adequate efforts and contributions in developing the region for probably more than 2 milleniums. From emperor Qin Shi Huang first united the "three kingdoms" till the Ming Empire and hence the Qing Empire. It's no wonder why China will protect it that much, it's their "puppet" which they have cared for and cherished, for so long.

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

Strikebreaker555Today 08:18 am JST This will just result in an ongoing cold war of Asia. Increased isolation from collaboration and intensifyed military expenditures on both sides, China/Russia/North Korea VS USA/Japan/South Korea.

In which case China and North Korea should stop their military expansion.

The next we'll see is Japan and USA pushing China's patience in the South China Sea. China's presence in these seas are undisputed since the founding of China 2000 BC

No they are very much disputed. The PAC has ruled that this "since ancient times" nonsense doesn't hold any legal water.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

Total waste of money!

4 ( +7 / -3 )

we have article 9 and are a peaceful nation. the warmongering with NK is disgusting. USA and NK have a war, but not Japan. The missile defence systems are a proven failure. NK will fire 50 missiles at a time and only 35 will be shot down.

Abe and his Nippon Kaigei need to stop their insanity. This money should be spent on social welfare, education, health and the future of a nation with so many ageing.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Strikebreaker555 - the russian made communist chinese governement made sure to destroy ancient china with their great leap forward. The china u speak of is a mere fraction of what it was and is now called taiwan. So nope i dont buy your snake oil.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

Disclosing the big budget seems to be a part of deterrent.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

@marcelito re: "The true LDP way"

the GLOBAL way…. welcome to the 21st century...

0 ( +1 / -1 )

A naval arms race with china is no good and unwise for japan and China is happy to see it happen ,because China has a much larger and fast developing economy ,most of China's weapons are domestically built which are way cheaper than Japan's imported American weapons. China was heavily devastated in ww2 so China has every right to arm itself.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

@ning. not just ww2, but japanese colonialism times.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

China was heavily devastated in ww2 so China has every right to arm itself

@ning. not just ww2, but japanese colonialism times.

The worst happened during the reign of Mao and the great leap forward era.

Killing intellects was only the start.

As for the budget it is mostly going to develop various missiles including the AGEIS on Shore project which I believe would be the bulk of the increase.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Ning 1983

I can only HOPE that most of China's weapons are home built. That alone should rest a lot of heads in Asia.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

For any country to dispute China's presence in these waters, is like disputing China's overall presence in this world.

Presence is fine (many other peoples have been present in the South China Sea for milleniums too, not just Chinese). Ownership, no.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

 the founding of China 2000 BC

China was built only after WW2.  Before that, not a country.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

ning1983Today 12:44 pm JSTA naval arms race with china is no good and unwise for japan and China is happy to see it happen ,because China has a much larger and fast developing economy ,most of China's weapons are domestically built which are way cheaper than Japan's imported American weapons. China was heavily devastated in ww2 so China has every right to arm itself.

The naval arms race has been going on for a few decades now, fueled by the PLAN's declared intention of building a blue water Chinese navy capable of countering US naval dominance. The target has and continues to be the United States. It is with his goal that the breaking of the island chains, the 9-dash line, the building and militarization of artificial islands in the SCS, the attempt to claim the Senkakus in the ECS are Chinese goals which have created disputes with other Asian nations. Japan's military is not at the forefront of any arms race with China as it is defensive in nature and only supportive in any US operation. As for China's right to defend itself, china has since the turn of the century expended far more on military expansion that is needed for "defense" purposes. The goals declared by the PLAN exposes the "Peaceful Rise" lie that China sold the world to keep raising their economy through trade.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Defense of a nation's sovereignty

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Con't. Has never been "cheap" however, what price are we willing to it on the sovereignty of our family's and the nation should be foremost in our minds when we see announcements such as this. Some established DOJ programs may see modifications as a result of the Budget proposed increase but the government will eventually solve these and fund the most critical ones in support of its population.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

True. PRC Premier Chou En Lai also studied in Japan. After the Russo-Japanese War, Japan was the place to learn as the most modernized country in Asia.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Historically, culturally and racially, Japan is a small China, or a part of China. True, China learned something from Japan in recent 200 years. But China also learned from other nations. The good thing is that China only learn good things, not bad things as Japan did.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

N Kea began trying yo sell its missile tooo middle east cooountries. With only less tan $100 milliiioon budget, Japan is not gig t fmpee with Iran or Iraq.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It's less than $100 million budget in the time facing oath Korea.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

OssanAmerica, China is a big country and its military spending is relative to its size and population for defense purposes. Remember that the US military spending is 4 times that of China’s. Some people, including you, think that China is trying to beat the US but fail to see what the US had done to Japan in the past by blockage and sanction, obviously China wants to protect itself. Not only from the US but also from Japan that is in the wake of re-arming itself. So, what ning1983 said was true. But what you rumbled about China was obviously false. China did not initiate all the events that you mentioned, in fact, China was reacting to those events like a mature nation. Thinking carefully people with objective mind will see that the increased military spending by most of the countries in east and south-east Asia is only to please the US. Yes, wherever the US stirs up trouble, others’ military spending will shoot up. But, it is easier to blame everything on China. In a couple of decades from now if you are still alive you will have a different view of China.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

flowersToday 07:58 am But what you rumbled about China was obviously false. China did not initiate all the events that you mentioned, in fact, China was reacting to those events like a mature nation.

Breaking the island chains, building artificial islands and militarize them right after Xi Jingping declared that China would not militarize the SCS, the ridiculous 9-dash line, these are all created by China. They are not a reaction to anything other than displays of China's intent to dominate Asia.

Thinking carefully people with objective mind will see that the increased military spending by most of the countries in east and south-east Asia is only to please the US. Yes, wherever the US stirs up trouble, others’ military spending will shoot up. But, it is easier to blame everything on China. In a couple of decades from now if you are still alive you will have a different view of China.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

thepersoniamnow,

I can only HOPE that most of China's weapons are home built. That alone should rest a lot of heads in Asia.

Don't knock Chinese manufacturing capabilities. A huge quantity of high tech equipment that we use was made in China. Computers, cell phones, and other sophisticated equipment.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Made under western standards with western design utilizing Japanese manufactured components. PRC still has problem developing a good working combustion engine for automobiles from scratch and the barrel of their rapid firing CIWS becomes warped after 5 minutes of shooting due to low grade steel.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

China learned something from Japan in recent 200 years.

China did not exist 200 years ago.  It started after people who came from the area came to Japan to study everything from Japan including Kanji (70 % of Kanji Chinese use now are Made in Japan).  Even their coutry name Communist is Japanese made Kanji.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

Even with the hike, Japan will be spending a smaller proportion of its GDP on defence than the UK. Japan sits in a fare more unstable and progressively politically threatening area. Most of this will be on defensive equipment (anti-missile missiles).

The first priority and responsibility of any government is the defence of its people and by extension territory.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

OssanAmerica, Breaking the island chains, building artificial islands and militarize them right after Xi Jingping declared that China would not militarize the SCS, the ridiculous 9-dash line, these are all created by China. They are not a reaction to anything other than displays of China's intent to dominate Asia.

It seems that way when you look at it in the wrong angle. You should mention about five lighthouses built to help in commercial navigation in the area, public tours, movie theatre, air port that can accommodate jet fighters but also commercial flights, and a few missile launchers for defense that are not in the same scale as the US carriers or even the ships that kept on having the accidents. You also failed to mention that other countries in the area had built up their controlled islands for military purposes even before China did. From your point of view, you may see the 9-dash line ridiculous but for defensive strategies the lines serve their purpose, and they were set up and declared by Taiwanese government some decades ago even predating the SCS Code of Conduct. You said, “China's intent to dominate Asia,” but failed to see that China already did. Even with the favourable ruling from the kangaroo court, the Philippines still has to yield to China despite of the backing of the US and Japan. China’s already dominated Asia and I don’t see anything bad about it. But if you think that China tries to export communism or even dictatorship you are wrong because the facts show China does not try to control other countries at all. You see Myanmar and Cambodia are working towards democracy, they are close friends of China. China tries to improve connectivity and infrastructures in Asia so that people can live in peace and free from outside domination. Trump knows full well that the US cannot contain China so he pulled the US out of TPP and even fully agreed to the “one China” policy. Only Japan that is still living in fear, but things are changing in a positive way. China still complained about Japan’s 2.5% hike in its military spending just as a precaution, how Japan spends its money in military that is the main concern.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

flowers,

Good post. China doesn't seek expansion by military means, unlike the US. It is quietly buying up land and investing all over the planet. It is strong in Africa too. As you say, China doesn't try to export any particular philosophy, but it is building a very strong financial network. As Japan and the U.S.A. move down the road to bankrupting themselves with military spending, China is quietly buying.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

A 2.5% increase is not significant given Japan spends so little as a proportion of GDP on defence - it's barely above 1%. Even with these increases it would take more than a quarter of a century to get military spending to 2% of GDP, which is a reasonable amount for a major country like Japan.

To put it in perspective, both China and South Korea spend more than 2% of GDP on defence.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Why do ethnic Chinese who live in free countries support the CCP dictatorship? There are people in Taiwan and Hong Kong who are against the CCP. 40 years ago people from those places were immigrating to Western nations to flee communist rule. Many had lost all their fortunes or worse and had not one good thing to say about the PRC.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites