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Japan may need to boost defense costs to ¥10 trillion: think tank

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The government should deduct a one time ¥50000 from all adults bank accounts to funds this. Borrowing money would only increase inflation and cost of living.

-8 ( +4 / -12 )

Has a Defense Ministry think tank ever recommended a decrease in its annual defense costs? How about spending that extra 4 trillion yen -- a nearly 70% increase over the current defense budget! -- on societal improvements.

12 ( +15 / -3 )

Japan may need to increase its annual defense costs to as much as 10 trillion yen from the current nearly 6 trillion yen to deal with China's growing military threat, a Defense Ministry think tank says.

Between this rock and the hard place of a weakening Japan Inc. trying to prop itself up using the public's tax money, guess who will be getting squeezed more?

0 ( +6 / -6 )

WW2 is not forgotten yet.

-9 ( +5 / -14 )

yes we will get well if Japan will have more weapons.

how about to help people struggling with politicians incompetence for virtually anything?

to help people who are sponsors of your "businesses"?

4 ( +8 / -4 )

U.S arms dealers are rubbing their hands with glee!!

5 ( +11 / -6 )

Tokyo will be just like Mariupol in ruins, where would Japanese hide on an island,with no escape,if China or North Korea struck

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

I hope they have some thinkers in that tank...

3 ( +5 / -2 )

kishida made a mess with neighbor counties and asked to japanese citizens to pay for the war. poor japan....

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

Think tank...

Hmm. I would think fighter jets, not tanks.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

What a sad situation!

I am scrolling Japan today and see two news next to each other.

One saying that prices will increase for 10 000 items and immediately after defense budget needs a 10 trillions injection.

It shows clearly where is the priority and sorry to say, it is plain wrong.

I thought Japan was better than that!

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Broke Japanese government can't afford to double the defense budget.

-7 ( +5 / -12 )

I often think about this kind of crap when I go and pay my taxes.

Wish we had a good government.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

China isn't threatening Japan !

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

...a Defense Ministry think tank says.

Seems like a conflict of interest.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Japan may need to boost defense costs to ¥10 trillion - think tank:

From 6 to 10 trillion Yen, a sudden leap of ~70% suddenly. Just to beef up the national defense based on imaginary Chinese military threat?

Has Japan the extra cash to go for unnecessary arms race?

How naïve..

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

@venze

Has Japan the extra cash to go for unnecessary arms race?

Nope.

This is what a typical Japanese government's annual finance looks like BEFORE THE INFLATION

Budget : 100 trillion yen

Deb service : 36 trillion yen

========================

Net fund available for spending : 64 trillion yen

If the interest rate continues to go up, then Japan's annual debt service cost could double to 70 trillion yen a year, leaving only 30 trillion yen to run the country, or Japan has to double the annual borrowing to 70 trillion yen a year, accelerating the pace of insolvency.

Arms race is for China and Korea, not Japan.

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

Would it not be better?? spend less money militarily, more for people/citizen benefits/future? Just abandon ideologies/bias/international ranking thoughts etc etc, and work with your immediate neighbors. Close neighbors are bound to have differences/disputes, but, they are not insurmountable, no one wants war/disruptions etc etc, just do not be foolish enough to let others/outsiders use you as a pawn/card for their own agendas/motives(Ulterior). Remember this, war elsewhere, not in the homeland.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Japan has no ability and will not have either no matter how much it spend on defense to fend off China till they have nuclear arms and are prepared to use them, not just for show!!!

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

An increase in defense spending will include more employment in Japan, additional jobs in the JSDF and civilian contractors, manufacturing and research etc. That helps Japan and its unemployed.

Spending on defense is not spending on the arts and crafts but it is spending on the Japanese economy and helping people.

Maybe people doing it tough should cancel or spend less on insurance, for those advocating japan spend less on ITS insurance against hostile forces.

China will not ever attack Japan. Russia will never attack Ukraine. One has come to pass, so who can say with 100% certainty that the other will not also come to pass? Senkaku islands remain a flashpoint. Okinawa another potential flashpoint. If Japan is easily defeated with inadequate defenses by stronger neighbors then no amount of social spending will make a difference.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Sure...raise more prices for everything for the public so the government can spend it on more government jobs .

But the reality is the money will be going to the USA government.

China isn't threatening Japan at the moment however it's only a matter of time before a military conflict again happens with Russia and Korea and China.

Japan is sneaky and pulling the USA closer in could backfire.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Maybe Australia can donate a new coastguard vessel.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

China isn't threatening Japan !

Japan is threatening China. But can’t attack because of Article 9. Once changed, we can send our young people to war!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

There is no doubt the the current geopolitical climate calls for an increase in defense spending. But it not how much is spent as much as how it is spent.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

As people say "go crisis go to waste", for the military all world conflicts quickly become a justification for more budget. The amount being mentioned is not austere, and even if necessary (specially because of the specific situation of the country) it is difficult to justify the whole sum.

I would think there are many other urgent needs that need to be attended, precisely because of the Ukraine war. Just saying they need almost as much as they are getting right now fails to take this in consideration.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Ministry or agency always want big budget.

Ukraine crisis is just "convenient opportunity" for defence ministry.

But present Japan has no such money.

Poverty rate among children is rising, workers' income are down.

Japan is about to be militarism country like North Korea where prioritizes military than life of people.

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

Why should Kishida tell Biden that Japan had decided to scrap its long-term policy of capping the defense budget to one percent of its GDP? An increase from the current 6 trillion yen to 10 trillion yen, almost twice as much as an increase. And Biden seems to have welcomed Japan's decision to do so. What does it mean?

Firstly, it means the U.S. has long persuaded Japan to revise or do away with the war-renouncing constitution and fight international wars along with the U.S. with which Japan had finally agreed.

Secondly, Japan will be able to buy more U.S.-made arsenal such as Aegis missile systems, killer missiles and so forth, and shoulder more of the so-called “host nation support”.

In other words, Japan's defense budget increase is just for the sake of the U.S.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Poverty rate among children is rising, workers' income are down.

Japan is about to be militarism country like North Korea where prioritizes military than life of people.

You are a brave Japanese soul in the sea of LDP netto uyokus around here.

Japan will be the next Ukraine at this rate because China won't forgive anyone to intervene in its Taiwan's affairs. Japan is greatly reliant on China economically!

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

“Walk softly but carry a big stick.”

Teddy Roosevelt

0 ( +1 / -1 )

In other headlines today - Japan's FY2021 tax revenue to hit record high above ¥65 trillion

They manufacture consent for tax increases by saying the money will be used for social programs but then the usual vultures will raid the coffers. Increased defense spending diverts that tax money into the pockets of the already wealthy and powerful. Such a scam.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Having the best-funded, best-equipped and best-trained military doesn't make much difference when the LDP's in charge. They're useless at everything except rigging elections to keep themselves in office, what makes anyone think they should be trusted with handling an actual military engagement?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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