The Japanese Defense Ministry on Wednesday announced a draft budget of a record 5.49 trillion yen (~$52 billion), stating that it aimed to prioritize building capacity to respond to new threats relating to cybersecurity, space, and electromagnetic warfare.
The proposal marks a 3.3% increase from the initial budget for the current fiscal year. Japanese finance ministry officials are expected to review and perhaps even amend the document before sending it over to PM Yoshihide Suga’s cabinet for review. If approved, Japan’s defense spending will rise for the ninth consecutive year, as Suga has pledged to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Shinzo Abe, and continue his policies relating to national security and diplomacy.
The draft includes requests for 123.7 billion yen for security research efforts in outer space. These include funds for building an optical telescope to monitor unidentified objects and for a satellite constellation to detect Chinese and Russian hypersonic weapons. On the cybersecurity front, 35.7 billion yen has been requested to establish a new unit of a 540-member strong Self-Defense Force that would be in charge of this domain. The ministry also plans to set up a specialized division of the Ground Self-Defense Force at the Asaka base straddling Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture to address issues relating to electronic warfare.
Japan’s latest defense guidelines, adopted in December 2018, state that the new domains can “fundamentally change the shape of national security” for the country, which has previously primarily focused on the conventional ground, sea, and air spheres. Though the expansion of the country’s military budget is significant and is in line with similar defense expenditures in other parts of East Asia, including China, South Korea, and Taiwan. China has been engaging in a rapid military modernization and recently announced a 6.6 % increase in its defense budget, bringing it to a total of nearly $178 billion.
Given these developments, along with Chinese assertiveness in the South and East China Seas, Japan has sought to increase its cooperation on this front with regional allies. Japan is also hoping to introduce a new satellite system in partnership with the United States. Earlier this year, the latter also approved the sale of more than 100 F-35 fighter jets to Japan, following which Tokyo announced its plans to build highly sophisticated stealth jet fighters, to replace the country’s aging F-2 jets. Further, US and Japanese foreign ministers, and their counterparts from India and Australia, are expected to meet next week in Tokyo to discuss regional security challenges.
Japan Proposes Record-High Defense Budget to Enhance Capabilities in New Areas
The draft budget of 5.49 trillion yen is aimed at building capacity to respond to new threats relating to cybersecurity, space, and electromagnetic warfare.
October 1, 2020
SOURCE: THE JAPAN TIMES/REUTERS