politics

With eye on China, Japan unveils record defense budget

23 Comments
By Shingo Ito

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23 Comments
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Record, record spending on weapons, meanwhile health, education and retirement are too expensive. Best to spend on external rather than internal I guess.

-3 ( +11 / -14 )

They are worried about China? Japan’s biggest enemy is itself.

-7 ( +13 / -20 )

Eye on China?  what, China is going to invade?  It hasn't even been able to take Taiwan militarily - what on earth is Japan scaremongering about?  Same as the nonsense about the "threat" from North Korea.

-9 ( +11 / -20 )

With an eye on China?

Hhmmm... PM Abe must be preparing to re-establish diplomatic relations to ROC-Taiwan soon!

That's long overdue.

4 ( +11 / -7 )

China is becoming quiet recently in their attitude to Japan. It owes Trump greatly. Trump is a fearful man to China. He is asking Japan to buy fighters from U.S. We have to answer to his request to thank him. We need a strong backer. We were miserable when Obama was the president.

2 ( +16 / -14 )

Eye on China? what, China is going to invade? 

There IS a high chance PRC will try to claim Senkaku and take parts of Okinawa IF Japan does not beef up defense. This is a small price to pay (1-2% GDP) for Japanese to sleep well at night. The Aircraft Carrier and 130 F-35s will be expensive yes. But vital for long term protection from well funded and strong PRC and North Korea. They will think twice to try anything against Japan.

9 ( +19 / -10 )

Remember Lockheed anyone?

Someone is getting a MASSIVE kickback!

I wonder who . . .

-5 ( +10 / -15 )

This is part of Abe's plan; he's going to justify this spending by pointing out the enemy of the week (no longer NK and back to China), and then later say the Constitutional change is necessary for the newly revamped military. Make no mistake, it is not about defense at all, it's about Abe's desire to see Japan return to its former "glory" as a force to be reckoned with (without thinking about the end result). It's about his ego. Under this man Japan is under bigger threat than it ever has been, and that will only increase as Japan illegally (then they'll change the laws after the fact) rebuilds its military.

And, of course, we gotta raise taxes next year again because, no money. Can't be helped... it's just not there.

-6 ( +9 / -15 )

I understand the japanese standpoint, so please go ahead and protect your wonderful country and culture.

8 ( +15 / -7 )

Raising defense spending is a necessary part of life in Asia as long as China continues its dominating ways and its huge military buildup. If you don't have insurance you will pay more in the long run. An adequate defense is insurance that Japan and all countries in the region now require to keep the peace. If they are not strong enough they will be dictated to by China or worse, attacked by China.

8 ( +13 / -5 )

smithinjapan

The problem here is that Article 9 of the constitution is clearly becoming obsolete. Much more obsolete than you want. Worst of all, it is not Japan's fault that this is so. It is caused by actions and threats from abroad.

The fact that an army is being built illegally is the result of this constitutional obsolescence. But at the same time it is necessary.

10 ( +15 / -5 )

Japan is spending %1 of GDP on defense. While North Korea threaten Japan with nuclear destruction and China is spending 4x more on defense. Everything that Japan does is a response to a more aggressive political climate in the region.

I'm in favor of all countries adopting a pacifist constitution, no nukes, follow Japan path instead of becoming more aggressive.

7 ( +13 / -6 )

Japan has no choice. China's agenda of expanding territory by taking over "disputed" areas in defiance of both international law and opinion, is all part of their goal of breaking the first island chain, ultimately tied to challenging the United States and replacing it as the world's only superpower. All of Asia faces this threat and as the US' most prominent Asian ally Japan takes the brunt of China's efforts to undermine this obstruction to their aspirations. Japan would love to be able to continue as the heiwa-boke country that they have been for all these decades after WWII, but China with it's dreams of reinstating it's past historical glory has changed the game board. Ignore the wumao comments here and on forums and boards all over the internet, they are part and parcel of the Chinese information offensive. Japan needs the United States for one thing - the nuclear umbrella. Going nuclear on it's own, while technically feasible is not, politically within Japan. So in order to accommodate the Trump administration's demands to rectify the trade balance, purchases of military hardware is the solution. Why should Japan import something that no one wants like American cars when they can import something they need like American military hardware? A need created unilaterally by the totalitarian Chinese dictatorship.

8 ( +11 / -3 )

Absolute waste of money.

Japan is essentially 3 rocks. If China wanted war, they would just go STOMP.

Game over.

China the US and Russia just fire over the charred remains.

-9 ( +3 / -12 )

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_budget_of_Japan#/media/File:Japanese_defence_spending_1988-2014.jpg

and here

The actual amount is pretty stable, especially when compared to the slight weakened yen against the dollar since 2010.

https://www.google.com/search?q=yen+v+dollar+exchange+rate&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS683US683&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiGnq60jbHfAhWqiVQKHQ2oAb8Q_AUIESgE&biw=1473&bih=830#imgrc=Vml3em0mR4gKvM:

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Abe is going to bring the JSDF’s N2 the 21st century. Japan as an Island Nation can not possibly depend strictly on her SEATO membership in a 1st strike scenario. The present stability within the AsianPac region is being challenged by China/NKR/Russia while Japan/Philippines/Okinawa/Taiwan are all “Island” nations dependent upon they’re fellow SEATO members for support should an incident arise that they themselfs are not capable of handling/fending off. Abe & his administration are not advocating Japan’s return to her WWII warfooting posture, only to increase her Self Defenses to ensure a stronger “Defensive” posture if needed.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Record defense budget but still relies on the US to do all the heavy lifting.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

@Akie

extanker, you westernized idea doesn't apply to Northeast Asians.

My idea of a large communist dictatorship bullying it's neighbors applies anywhere, especially here.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Great, Japan. Be strong. Thugs understand only ONE language - strength.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

The gap is too too far for japan to catchup, maybe payback for the pensions for those aged 50 plus SDF members' pension is good news for them!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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