The plan still requires parliamentary approval by March and forms part of a broader 122.3 trillion yen ($784bn) national budget for the fiscal year beginning in April 2026. The increase marks the fourth year of Japan’s five-year effort to increase defence outlays to 2 percent of gross domestic product.The spending increase comes as Tokyo voices growing concern over China.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in November that Japan’s military could become involved if China were to take action against Taiwan, the self-governing island claimed by Beijing – comments that caused outrage in Beijing, which hit back with diplomatic and economic measures against Japan.
