TOKYO: Japan’s defence ministry on Thursday (Aug 31) sought US$160 million in a record budget request to develop swift, longer-range missiles to extend its military punch in East Asia, countering growing Chinese strength and an increasing North Korean threat. If approved…
TOKYO: Japan’s defence ministry on Thursday (Aug 31) sought US$160 million in a record budget request to develop swift, longer-range missiles to extend its military punch in East Asia, countering growing Chinese strength and an increasing North Korean threat.
If approved, the proposal for a rise of 2.5 per cent in defence spending to 5.26 trillion yen (US$48 billion) for the year starting April 1, will be the sixth straight annual increase as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bolsters the military.
The funds will pay for ballistic missile defence upgrades, six F-35 stealth fighters, four V-22 Osprey tilt rotor troop carriers, besides orders for new naval vessels, including a submarine and two compact warships.
Around US$90 million of the requested missile development funds of US$160 million will go on studying hypersonic missiles to quickly penetrate enemy defences.
The rest will pay for research on extending missile range, technology that could potentially be used to help develop strike weapons.
