TSAMTO, November 30. On November 26, the Japanese government approved additional allocations for defense spending in 2022 in the amount of 774 billion rubles. yen ($6.75 billion).
According to Reuters, already record military spending has been increased to strengthen Japan's Air and Naval Self-Defense Forces against the threat from China and North Korea.
Recall that the Japanese Defense Ministry has requested a budget for a record 5.48 trillion for 2022 (starting April 1, 2022). yen (about 49.86 billion dollars), as reported by the RIA Novosti agency on August 31, 2021, with reference to the materials of the Japanese military department.
Thus, the budget for the next fiscal year will be 2.6% more than the original budget that the Japanese Defense Ministry requested for the current 2021 fiscal year. With a new amendment, the budget for 2022 fiscal year will amount to a record amount of 6,254 trillion. yen ($56.9 billion).
The Japanese Defense Ministry noted that additional allocations will be directed to the early purchase of anti-ship missiles, maritime patrol aircraft and military transport aircraft.
The increase in military spending is associated with the October election promises of the current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who announced plans to increase defense spending to 2% of GDP.
Since 1990, with the exception of 2010, Japan's defense spending has not exceeded 1% of GDP. Over the past nine years, there has been a constant increase in the defense budget, but its amount still did not reach the ceiling of 1%. The proposed additional allocations will bring the share of defense spending in 2022 to 1.3% of Japan's GDP.
