Japan Press Weekly

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2022 August 31 - September 6 [POLITICS]

Defense Ministry requests record high \5.6 trillion in its budget for next fiscal year

Akahata editorial (excerpts)

The Defense Ministry on August 31 compiled its budget request amounting to a record high of about 5.6 trillion yen for fiscal 2023. As over 100 "items or projects without designating the needed amount of money" are included on a list in its budget request, the final amount of the military budget request for next fiscal year is said to be more than six trillion yen at the end of this year. The Defense Ministry is taking advantage of Russia's invasion of Ukraine to enter into an unprecedented buildup of Japan's military capabilities in order to confront China.

The 100 "items or projects with no specification of needed amounts" are regarded as "measures to drastically enhance the country's defense capabilities within five years". It is extremely dangerous that the Defense Ministry is seeking to have the general public accept the possession of "enemy strike capability" as an accomplished fact by the mass production of long-range missiles.

The Defense Ministry, in its materials attached to its budget request, emphasizes that the strengthening of the capability of long-range missiles will "deter an invasion of Japan itself". Meanwhile, measures "in case of a failure of deterrence" are also incorporated such as moving the command functions underground and protecting air bases from outside attack, according to the attached materials. This reflects the assumption that Japan may be turned into a battlefield.

It is necessary to increase nationwide movements calling for putting a stop to Japan's military expansion as well as for a policy change so that true peace can be established in East Asia through peace diplomacy based on the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution.