Japan will expand its military spending to improve missile capabilities in countering China and Russia

The Ministry of Defence’s annual budget request on cruise missiles reveals the country is seeking the ability to strike more distant targets.

“China continues to threaten to use force to unilaterally change the status quo and is deepening its alliance with Russia.”

“It is also applying pressure around Taiwan with supposed military exercises and has not renounced the use of military force as a way to unite Taiwan with the rest of China,” the ministry said in the budget request.

The plan also represents a departure from the armed forces limit imposed by Japan’s pacifist constitution. 

Since the end of World War II, Japan has pursued a pacifist foreign policy and is only allowed to use missiles with ranges of a few hundred kilometres.

According to Reuters, “the government will approve that increased request at the end of the year when it will also unveil a major defence strategy overhaul and a new midterm military buildup plan.”

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has promised in the nation’s upper house election to double defence spending to 2% of gross domestic product over five years.

That would make the country become the world’s third biggest military spender behind the United States and China.