Japan Approved its Biggest-ever Defense Budget: US$ 42 Billion

According to the budget plan, Japan will acquire fighter jets, drones and additional weapons, in order to strengthen its army in the wake of tensions with China over a group of disputed islands in the East China Sea

Japan Approved its Biggest-ever Defense Budget: US$ 42 Billion

Japan approved the largest defense budget in its history, in order to allow Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to strengthen the Japanese Army and the Japanese intelligence gathering systems in the region, while in the background stand the tensions with China.

The 4.98 trillion yen (US$ 42 Billion) budget, approved by the cabinet on Wednesday, is up 2% from last year and marks the third straight increase after more than a decade of cuts.

Prime Minister Abe would like to make a more active Japanese Army, in order to strengthen the defenses of Japan, in the wake of rising tensions with China, its old opponent. In recent years the two countries have been involved in a dispute about the sovereignty over several islands in the East China Sea. Japan maintains its vigilance when it comes to China, which is trying in recent years to claim ownership of strategic locations in the region.

Chinese offices said in response to the report that "We hope that Japan has learned from the past. Its moves in the defense field in recent years have led to the neighboring (countries) to open their eyes and watch this closely."

As has already been published in No. 23 of Israel Defense magazine in November 2014, the current administration in Japan lays the foundation for re-creating a significant defense industry. The author of the special article, Assaf Marco, who is on a mission in Tokyo, explained that already last July Japan signed an agreement with France that paves the way for joint development of arms and military equipment. Japan signed an agreement with Australia to cooperate in the development of submarine technology, including a possible acquisition agreement of 10 Australian-made Japanese submarines.

According to Marco, it is not definite Japan will become a great actor in the arms industry worldwide, however "one thing is sure, 70 years of pacifism mean that its (Japan's) weapons have not been tested in battle, and yet, it is clear that Prime Minister Abe changed the rules of the game - even if it is still quite unclear which ones".

And what about the procurement plans of Japan? According to local Japanese reports, in the context of the defense budget, the Japanese are expected to purchase V-22 aircraft and at least six F-35 advanced fighter jets. Japan also seeks to cultivate its unmanned vehicles array.