Senior Japanese Lawmaker In Taiwan Says The Chinese Threat Justifies More Military Spending

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen meeting with Koichi Hagiuda, policy chief for Japan's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in Taipei  

Reuters: Japan lawmaker in Taiwan says China threat needs more military spending 

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Japan needs to increase its military spending in the face of the "grim reality" of the threat from China and North Korea, a senior member of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party said on Sunday during a visit to Taiwan. 

Although Chinese-claimed and democratically-governed Taiwan and Japan do not have formal diplomatic ties, they have close unofficial relations and both share concerns about China, especially its increased military activities near the two. 

Koichi Hagiuda, the LDP's policy chief and a former industry minister, said during a visit to Taipei that since World War Two Japan has "walked the path of peace" and that path will not change in the future.  

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