Japan's Military Requests A $50.3 Billion Defense Budget

Reuters: Japan's military seek eighth straight annual hike in defense spending

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan’s military has asked for an eighth straight annual increase in defense spending to help pay for U.S.-made interceptor missiles, stealth fighters, and other equipment it wants to counter threats from North Korea and China.

The Ministry of Defence budget proposal released Friday calls for spending to increase 1.2 percent to a record 5.32 trillion yen ($50.48 billion) in the year starting April 1. Finance ministry officials will scrutinize the request before it is approved by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet.

Already one of the world’s biggest military spenders despite a constitution that forbids the possession of weapons to attack other countries, Japan has increased military outlays by a tenth over the past seven years. That growth is being driven by alarm over military build ups by its neighbors.

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