September 1, 2018

The Defense Ministry on August 31 requested a budget of about 5.3 trillion yen in allocations for fiscal 2019. The enormous amount of the budget allocation request attributes to: the planned installation of the ground-based missile interceptor "Aegis Ashore" system which costs more than 600 billion yen; the purchase of a large quantity of weapons, such as the most expensive aircraft, the 42 F35-A fighters, manufactured in the United States; and the necessary "repayment of debts" caused by past purchases of expensive weaponry.

The military budget consists of the cost for general items, debt repayment, and personnel and food supplies. According to the ministry's budgetary request, estimated expenses for general items and manpower remain at the same level as last year. However, estimated debt serving costs increased by 180.9 billion yen or by 9.6% from a year earlier.

What is more, a new debt burden to be carried over to following fiscal years will increase by 397.7 billion yen to more than 2.51 trillion yen, an increase of 18.8%.

Based on the national security-related legislation or so-called war laws, the Self-Defense Forces are expected to be deployed abroad and operate missions together with the U.S. forces. The Defense Ministry, with this in mind, includes the necessary associated costs in its budget request.

The ministry also incorporates a budget to build up Japan's military capability under the "cross-domain defense concept" which projects anticipated battlefields even to outer space and cyberspace. The defense authorities also seek to win a budget of 7.3 billion yen to add long-range cruise missiles (JSM) or standoff missiles to the SDF arsenal. Thus, Japan is moving to possess the missile capability to attack enemy bases abroad in violation of the Constitution.

Past related article:
> JCP Kokuta demands cancellation of plan to deploy land-based Aegis Ashore [June 7, 2018]