The losers of the Second World War, Japan and Germany, are now investing in the armed forces. Japan wants precision missiles that can reach China.
Last week, the Japanese government approved a defense policy reform, which will increase the budget of the country’s armed forces to two percent of the gross domestic product by 2027.
At the same time, the leadership structure of the armed forces is being reformed and Japanese-made long-range precision missiles are being developed for the troops.
In the first five-year period, 320 billion euros will be invested in defense. After 2027, annual military spending will be around 100 billion euros.
This means that Japan’s defense budget will become the third largest in the world after the United States and China.
A response to the rise of China
The line drawn over the weekend is the most significant change in Japan’s defense policy in decades.
Japan is known for its pacifist constitution, which prohibits military action. However, the law allows for self-defense and the forces established for that purpose.
In practice, Japan’s defense has been largely on the shoulders of the United States. After World War II, the United States promised to defend its former enemy, and because of this, it has been allowed to keep its troops on Japanese soil.
The preparation of the change in Japan’s defense policy was started by the Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the season. In 2015, Japanese law was amended to allow the Self-Defense Forces to participate in military operations outside the country.
Behind the changes is the fear of a rising China, which, according to Japan’s new defense report, represents a “strategic challenge”.
– The fundamental strengthening of our defense capability is our most urgent challenge in this difficult security environment, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida comment when the report is published.
Germany invests one hundred billion
Another country that lost World War II has also invested in the armed forces this year. After Russia attacked Ukraine, Germany announced that it would invest 100 billion euros in renewing its armed forces.
In both Germany and Japan, the economy is recovering from the pandemic and both countries are suffering from high inflation.
In Japan, a public debate has already begun on how to finance the increase in the defense budget.
– People understand that Japan needs to increase its defense budget, but it will take a lot of effort for them to accept a tax increase to achieve this, says the professor of politics Narushige Michishita business magazine for the Financial Times.
You can discuss the topic until Saturday at 23:00.
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The Japanese government approved a significant increase in defense budgets