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Japan to Build a More Powerful Military, Citing China as Its No. 1 Menace
https://www.wsj.com ^ | Dec. 16, 2022 2:58 am ET | By Alastair GaleFollow and Chieko TsuneokaFollow

Posted on 12/16/2022 4:27:48 AM PST by RomanSoldier19

TOKYO—Japan called China its biggest security challenge and said it would sharply raise military spending including for missiles that can hit other countries, marking one of Tokyo’s biggest post-World War II shifts away from pacifism.

Releasing its long-awaited military strategy for the next decade, Tokyo said Friday that by fiscal 2027, it would spend about 2% of its gross domestic product on defense, up from about 1% now. Based on current GDP, that would bring annual spending to the equivalent of around $80 billion, putting Japan third in the world behind the U.S. and China.

Around $3.7 billion is earmarked over the next five years for missile systems, including American Tomahawk missiles, which would give Japan the ability to target foreign military facilities if an attack appeared imminent. That is a turnaround from Tokyo’s postwar pacifist outlook, enshrined in its war-renouncing constitution, which made it wary of threatening other countries.

(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ccp; japan; wars
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To: odawg

“Seems that pacifism offers very little protection for a country”

Worked well in Europe, until they combined their pacifism with provoking Russia - so now they have the worst of both worlds.


21 posted on 12/16/2022 5:53:14 AM PST by BobL (By the way, low tonight in Latvia: 14 degrees, brrrr!)
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To: RomanSoldier19

China has an over rated military, all they technology is stolen form us and we know the defenses.


22 posted on 12/16/2022 6:08:10 AM PST by boomop1 (term limits NOW)
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To: rbmillerjr

Don’t underestimate Japan. They have a very sophisticated Navy, and they understand China is a serious threat.


They are the #3 economy in the world and per capita they are the #1 in electronics. Pretty important given that military might is moving into drones, AI, and other autonomous hardware.

Xi has made a major mistake with his aggressive behavior and not reining in his crazy kid in the basement (Norks). He has pushed Japan to militarize (again).


23 posted on 12/16/2022 7:04:12 AM PST by volunbeer (Find the truth and accept it - anything else is delusional)
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To: RomanSoldier19

Yeah, and they’ll have it miraculously built to full strength within 30 days.


24 posted on 12/16/2022 7:05:52 AM PST by 9YearLurker
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To: volunbeer

” Xi has made a major mistake with his aggressive behavior and not reining in his crazy kid in the basement (Norks). He has pushed Japan to militarize (again).”

The USA has pushed Japan to militarize again .


25 posted on 12/17/2022 4:56:43 AM PST by sushiman
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