Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is stepping up his defense in the face of growing threats from China and North Korea. He reiterated his commitment to “do everything possible” to protect the country, including increasing its ability to strike enemy bases.
Dubai-based Al-Jazeera reported on Saturday that the Japanese prime minister had a meeting with top military officials at the Akasa base in northern Tokyo. This was his first such meeting since taking office last October. It examines the strength of Japan’s self-defense.
During the meeting, Fumio Kishida said that the security situation in the region is changing rapidly. “The reality is harder than ever,” he said.
The Japanese prime minister said North Korea and China were increasing their intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities through test launches, as well as increasing their military capabilities in the region.
Increase the defense budget
Kishida’s cabinet has approved an additional defense budget of ৬ 6.8 billion. The approval was given last Friday. The extra money will be spent on the purchase of missiles, submarine destroyers and other weapons. The additional allocation comes in the wake of growing military activity in Russia, including China and North Korea. However, this allocation will need the approval of Parliament. In that case, the country’s defense budget will set a new record, at 532,000, 15 percent more than in 2000.
