Kishida says there are no numerical targets for defense spending

Kishida is in Economics 101.

The yen is plummeting against the US dollar and he has plans to buy big on weaponry in dollars with ‘no limits’

And no answer to how it will be paid for.

Splendid!

no numerical targets 

The definition of a slippery slope

Kishida says there are no numerical targets for defense spending

Unilke other people in his party at least he is aware Japanese economy is not that good, need to consider other spending before thinking about defense spending.

Basically a blank check to buy new toys directed by Kishida's patron Abe...

"Kishida said that there was no numerical target - and that the issue didn't come up in discussions with U.S. President Joe Biden last month."

So, the sky is the limit, or just what American arms manufacturers consider adequate to Nihon's credit limit?

"What I've been proposing is to build the NECESSARY defense capability."

"Necessary" for WHAT, exactly? Defense in what will almost certainly be a Nuclear War? The VERY BEST 'defense' that Nihon could have is a pledge of absolute NEUTRALITY because the only stake that Nihon has in this increasing confrontation fueled by American psychopaths who see their grip on the world slipping is absolute destruction.

"..to revising the war-renouncing constitution."

Yeah, what the world, and Nihonjin young people, NEED is a PRO-WAR Japan. ANYONE in Japanese politics who would suggest that Japan be turned into a TOOL for U.S. aggression should be retired immediately as an enemy of their own people. The argument is not unreasonable that Japanese Pro-U.S. politicians are TRAITORS to their own People who favor protecting their own political butts over keeping their people SAFE from horrendous deaths such as we see the U.S. supporting and abetting in Ukraine. Is HISTORY simply not a subject in Japanese schools? Is "Hotaru no haka" lost even on those who can stand to watch it?

dbsaiya 07:39 am JST

Basically a blank check to buy new toys directed by Kishida's patron Abe...

The pressure comes from their masters in the US State Department, and their masters in the American Military-Industrial complex. The US's endless wars are basically a tax on working Americans and now that massive military spending is becoming a tax on working residents of Japan too.

Kishida.. delusional & lap dog to th American war machine

The yen is plummeting against the US dollar and he has plans to buy big on weaponry in dollars with ‘no limits’

And no answer to how it will be paid for.

Splendid!

THIS!!

Also, William Bjornson- excellent post!!

The yen is plummeting against the US dollar and he has plans to buy big on weaponry in dollars with ‘no limits’

And no answer to how it will be paid for.

Splendid!

Perhaps, paid from a portion of massive $ foreign reserve?

I'm cheering for Kashida, and hope he brings prosperity to Japan, even despite obvious overt communist bots like William Bjornson who cheers on China and Russia, and viciously slams the USA with literally every post he's ever made on this site. THAT is a serious hate on you've got going Comrade Bjornson.

Cheers to Kashida and Japan. I wish you prosperity and health.

The LDP Policy Research Council did in fact identify 2% of GDP as the goal. Fish swim. Politicians lie.

We never had talks with numerical targets

Vowed to substantially increase defense spending

As we prepare to aquire what's necessary it will become clear how big a defense budget we need

we will need to think about how to finance it

these announcements prove without a shadow of doubt that kishida has no mathematical expertise of how much spending will be needed or how the funds will be generated or what is realistically necessary.

One thing is absolutely clear is that kishiditha's government will definitely be raising prices and implementing new tax laws like the new environmental protection tax we will all be forced to pay ,making it more difficult for any small businesses or struggling households.

This coming election is the most important election for the Japanese public since world war 2.

If you want to remain a pacifist country and don't want to pay higher prices for everything - don't vote for Kishida and the LDP !

Kishida plan is making Japan not only more expensive but countries like North Korea , Russia and China will perceive Japan as a threat.

The only thing that's necessary is -"not to have another world war" !

A lot of words come out of Kishida's mouth, but nothing he says makes any sense.

He has no vision or policy or mandate.

All he has to offer is gibberish and weasel words.

In the age of Trump and Putin, we cannot expect leaders to be constrained by morality, or even common sense. Being willing and able to defend one's country requires commitment and preparedness.

When a small country that happens to be next to a big country sees what's happening in Ukraine, it makes you take a cold and serious look at your defenses. Nobody wants to be the next Ukraine, especially with neighbors like Russia and China.

Almost every day when I read about Kishida is about how to increase the military expensive,how to keep the borders close or as much complicated as possible for foreigners to get in and raising taxes and see him traveling to every single international military related meeting.

I never hear him speaking in improving the social welfare,the human rights and gender gap situation for his country.

This hawkish man is a perfect representation of his aged party and his affiliation that wants to revert to a “beautiful Japan” pre war.

When a small country that happens to be next to a big country sees what's happening in Ukraine, it makes you take a cold and serious look at your defenses. Nobody wants to be the next Ukraine, especially with neighbors like Russia and China.

Japan a small country?

Your definition and my definition of small country diverge quite a lot.

With over 125 million people Japan by population is much bigger than the most European populous country which is Germany (80 millions)

You Japanophiles have to justify every excuse of this hawkish government.

@1Glenn

In the age of Trump and Putin

Well... in case you haven't noticed that Trump isn't president anymore !

The reason on why Japan is ramping up defense spendings as Yen collapses every day is very apparent.

The pressure comes from their masters in the US State Department, and their masters in the American Military-Industrial complex. The US's endless wars are basically a tax on working Americans and now that massive military spending is becoming a tax on working residents of Japan too.

I will add a little caviar that the US likely brokered a deal to sustain the USD hegemony globally for a few decades. India and Vietnam will be the primary manufacturing powerhouses to replace China in this endeavor, while both of them will import materials from China to manufacture goods for American exports. Even automobiles will be EV that coming from both nations, and Japan will lose the sole breadwinning industry very soon.

Japan will wage a suicidal war against China over Taiwan in the coming months or years. China will get Taiwan back, the US will walk out unscathed as it continues using India-Vietnam backdoors to keep the USD alive, and Japan will be economically devastated by foreign capital taking over. Japan will be the new laundromat for dirty money in Asia with the addition of a thriving prostitution industry. Japanese real estate assets will be mostly owned by rich Asians, and the US will enjoy seeing these Asians spending their USDs through Japan. This is the wet dream of Kishida and LDP elites.

No numerical target

Just the one on his forehead that reads Six 6 Six

I honestly don't know how to take some of the posts here about American masters etc., mostly conspiracies that doesn't even reference news of the day, so I can only surmise - pure fantasy.

Russia and China just conducted drills off Tokyo, a few days before that they sailed through the Tsugaru strait, god knows where China's 6 nuke subs are, but they certainly outclass all of Japan's subs by virtue of being able to stay under indefinitely and deeper. China now also has 3 aircraft carriers, and you don't have aircraft carrier for purely defense, you have them for force projection beyond your territory.

If Japan is not worried about any of this, it's kidding itself. Kishida is probably thinking USA is all talk and no walk (per Ukraine), so I better soften up the population for major military upgrade spending, else Japan will become the East island of China.

If China wanted to, it can roll Japan right now using nothing more than its sub, and Japan would be none the wiser.

I'm no hawk, but the remark makes sense to me. Rather than choose some random number - say, 3% of GNP - what makes sense is to identify needs, such as more antisubmarine ability, in Japan's defense and fulfill them. Not blindly following a numerical number could equally mean needs are fulfilled at a number less than the US requests.

All those leaders from oppositions opposing to increasing defense capabilities had better visit Kremlin to make Putin stop the act of aggression by peacefully talking . If succeeded, their approval rating would skyrocket, be welcomed as ruling parties for sure.

Japan where poverty expanding has no economic power to begin armament race against China. 

Tax increasing more than now will destroy life of many people before beginning the war.

besides, Japan depends many such as daily necessities on import from China.

Kishida says there are no numerical targets for defense spending:

Yes, it simply implies no limit in defense spending.

The premier vowed to further beef-up nation's defense budget.

How many times have Japan boosted such budget since Abe's days?

"Japan a small country? Your definition and my definition diverge quite a lot."

Yeah, I should say so! Let's take a look at China . . . 1.2 billion people and then some. Japan on the other hand is 125 million people, and aging at that so they won't be around very much longer. Anyway, that's less than one-tenth the size of China, isn't it? And that's without even taking Russia into the equation. Geographically, Japan is about the size of California. That's right, just one U.S. state is roughly the same size as Japan, and California isn't even the biggest state. China as a country is roughly the same size as the U.S. and Russia is the largest country in the world. In other words, Japan is sitting next to two giants. As Japan's birthrate declines and it's elderly population eventually dies, how big will the population be within the next two or three decades? If you're from a small country, then maybe Japan looks like a large country. However, if you look at the big picture, Japan isn't such a big country, especially compared to China and Russia.

If we don’t stand up to tyranny together folks, we will be the generation that didn’t. That simple. All the usual noise is just the usual noise. Bitter resentment, self flagellation or plain old two-faced and opportunistic. Those that seek to pull down rather than build up.

Stand firm Japan. Never let anyone tell you not to even bother trying to get stronger, that the situation is hopeless. Pay them zero mind, because we all know where their road leads.

a substantial win for the LDP would free Kishida's hand to tackle policy issues ranging from a weak yen

Huh?

If he had a plan to strengthen the currency he could have enacted it now without waiting for an election.

The election will only involve spending more money Japan doesn’t have anyway, and he doesn’t need an electoral mandate to start managing Japan’s public finances in a less cavalier fashion. Just do it and let your results speak for themselves at the election.

If voters concerned with the weak currency think the LDP is going to fix it after the election, they need to take a look at what has been done this past decade.

The pressure comes from their masters in the US State Department, and their masters in the American Military-Industrial complex.

The pressure actually comes from Xi and his ever expanding military machine, and its seemingly endless territorial claims and ambitions of world dominance. Added to the Russian invasion for territorial expansion and erasing of the Ukraine culture, and Japan is justifiably weary of any promises or statements of peaceful intentions from China and Russia. It is better to be prepared than to fall as prey in the future to hostile autocracies.

Sitting idly by as China and Russia get more powerful and take more of what is not theirs, hoping that Japan will somehow be spared from their ambitions for empire is akin to sticking your head in the sand and praying for a miracle. They are neither benevolent or trust worthy, they lie to their own people readily so expecting truth from them in regards to Japan is simply not going to happen.

Japan must continue to build its own ability to defend what is important to Japan. Failure to do so is a failure that will be magnified many times over, once overrun and enslaved by the autocratic nations nearby. If you value your current freedoms, then it must be worth defending. Things could be much much worse, and would be under Chinese or Russian rule.

How many years those moronic comments have been heard ...like... Communication, alliance with Int'l community to stop inhumane violence/aggression by particular nations. Look what have been happening sice the end of WW2?

Japan doesn't have to listen to those intracerebral flower fields or those anytime ready to run away with other passport(s).

Those probably are coming from some dream-worlds where there are no crimes, not to mention their police don't carry guns, and everything is always settled all right just by communication.

Kishida says there are no numerical targets for defense spending:

Yes, it simply implies no limit in defense spending.

Meaning he is prepared to get it done and make Japan as safe as it can be. That is laudable.

Increase spending on Japanese research and manufacturing will help the people with good high tech jobs and secure a high tech future.

There are those who think defense does nothing for Japan but they could not be further from the truth. A good employer with reliable careers utilizing the highest tech available. It all supports Japan as well as keeping it safe.

They are still evaluating what weapons they need, so you will have to wait before an exact figure can be given.

We live in Japan, we know exactly what it means.

They will never release any figures to the public, ever!

Lol, no numerical target because Kishida doesn’t know how much yen will depreciate against the dollar, no interest raise because Japan Inc needs to monetize this debt so it can borrow more it can earn.

truely short sighted solution to a mind boggling problem, bravo!

If he had a plan to strengthen the currency he could have enacted it now without waiting for an election.

I'd have thought given your avatar name that you'd already know exactly what Kuroda and Kishida is doing with the Yen. They let it slide, they got their inflation target, now they will maintain it in the band so as to give businesses certainties.

IMHO, no numerical target is poli-speak for Kishida doesn't know how big is the elephant in the room, all he knows is his own subs can't match that of China (there goes maritime domain), his airforce is miniscule and their operating range is similarly limited (there goes airspace), land based self defense hasn't fought a war since WWII....meanwhile China is circling, now with its bully mate Russia as well.

How big is the elephant in the room? He doesn't know.