Japan urgently needs to strengthen its military capabilities amid the deteriorating security environment in the South and East China Seas, as well as threats from North Korea’s nuclear and missile development and Russia’s war in Ukraine, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said during an international fleet review bill.
18 warships from 12 countries took part in the review. The United States, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Singapore, and South Korea participated, and both the United States and France sent planes.
South Korea attended the meeting for the first time in seven years, another sign of an improvement in tense relations between Tokyo and Seoul over the atrocities of the Japanese War.
“The security environment in the South and East China Seas, especially around Japan, is getting worse,” Kishida said, citing the surge in missile launches from North Korea one of which flew over Japan last month and growing concerns about the impact of the Russian invasion Asia.
“It is important to avoid disputes and seek dialogue,” said Kishida, “but it is also necessary to be prepared for provocations and threats to peace and stability.” He reiterated his promise to significantly strengthen Japan’s military capabilities within five years.
He said Japan should build more warships, strengthen its antimissile defense capability and improve troops’ working conditions.
Japan has gradually increased its role in international defense and military spending over the past decade and plans to double its military budget to around 2% of its GDP over the next five to 10 years. The government attributes the increase to NATO standards, threats from North Korea and China’s growing aggressiveness.