JAPAN APPROVES RECORD $58 BILLION DEFENSE BUDGET AS ASIA ARMS RACE ACCELERATES
Japan’s Cabinet just approved a record defense budget exceeding 9 trillion yen ($58 billion) for fiscal 2026, up 9.4% from last year.
The focus: strike-back capability, cruise missiles, and unmanned drones to counter China.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in November that Japan’s military could get involved if China takes action against Taiwan.
Beijing didn’t take that well.
The budget includes:
$6.2 billion for “standoff” missile capability
$1.13 billion for Type-12 surface-to-ship missiles with 620-mile range
$640 million for “SHIELD,” a system deploying “massive” unmanned air, sea, and underwater drones by 2028
$1 billion for joint development of a next-generation fighter jet with Britain and Italy
Japan is on track to hit 2% of GDP on defense by March, two years ahead of schedule.
That would make it the world’s third-largest military spender after the U.S. and China.
The bigger picture: This week, South Korea and the U.S. agreed to pursue a “separate agreement” for Seoul to build nuclear-powered submarines.
America’s allies are arming up.
The Pacific is preparing for something.
Source: AP