Japan’s budget reflects fears for remote islands
Japan’s defence budget grew by 2.1% for the 2019 fiscal calendar to a new seven-year high of $47 billion. Much of the money goes to securing ‘remote islands’ from Chinese attack, and building safeguards against North Korea’s nuclear and missile capabilities.
Approved by the MoD on 31 August, the budget still needs parliamentary and cabinet approval, though barriers appear unlikely with increased Chinese naval and air power projection in the East China Sea and continued fears over North Korea.
Though the report never mentions the Senkaku Islands by name, with references only to the ‘southwestern region’ or ‘remote islands’,
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