US welcomes doubling of military spending but critics express unease over abandoning seven decades of pacifism
Japan’s government has renamed what is known as a preemptive strike to “counterstrike capability,” apparently to emphasise that it would be used strictly in self-defence when the country is confronted with signs of an imminent attack.
The prime minister, Fumio Kishida, has opposed calls to use government bonds to help pay for the defence outlay, estimated at ¥43tn over the next five years, opting instead to gamble on tax rises that his party and its junior coalition partner, Komeito, endorsed on Friday. Japan is also expected to strengthen its military presence in its southernmost islands, tripling the number of military units and equipping them with the ability to intercept ballistic missiles, according to media reports.The more forceful tone in the national security strategy is expected to anger China.
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