Japan approves biggest-ever defence budget with eye on China

[Vikrant]

Japan means business.

---

TOKYO: Japan's Cabinet approved the country's largest ever defence budget on Wednesday, including plans to buy surveillance aircraft, drones and F-35 fighter jets to help counter China's rising assertiveness in the region.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet endorsed a nearly 5 trillion yen ($42 billion) defence budget for the year beginning in April as part of a record 96.3 trillion yen ($814 billion) total budget.

The budget must still be approved by parliament, but Abe's coalition holds majorities in both houses.

The 2 percent rise in defence spending is the third annual increase under Abe, who took office in December 2012 and ended 11 straight years of defence budget cuts.

Japan approves biggest-ever defence budget with eye on China - The Times of India

 

[S.J.]

Finally a relevant post. I'm glad Japan is stepping up to the plate and taking some of the burden off the U.S. for their defense. It'll take some of the wind out of China's sails.

 

[Jroc]

Good news

 

[Vikrant]

NEW DELHI – Japan has vowed to play a more active role in promoting international peace and stability, calling for increased cooperation with India in ensuring an order based on democratic values and the rule of law.

“Japan will continue even more actively to contribute to the peace and stability of the Indo-Pacific region and the world under the banner of ‘Proactive Contribution to Peace,’ based on the principle of international cooperation,” Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said in New Delhi on Saturday in his first policy speech this year, which marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the World War II.

Citing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s remarks at a New Year’s news conference, Kishida said that based on “profound remorse” about the war, Japan has built a democratic state that has consistently upheld human rights and the rule of law over 70 years and has followed the path of a peace-loving nation.

“Universal values such as democracy, freedom, open economy and the rule of law are indispensable for the Indo-Pacific region to remain stable and prosperous, and to shine as the center of the world,” he told the Indian Council of World Affairs. “I would like to emphasize that leadership from both countries (Japan and India) is essential for the Indo-Pacific region to foster an order supported by democratic values, open economy and the rule of law.”

Referring to the recent terrorist attacks in France, Kishida called on the global community to “make all-out efforts” in the fight against terrorism. “Japan resolutely condemns any forms of terrorism, including the terrorism incident in Paris,” he said.

Citing a terrorism incident in Algeria two years ago, in which 10 Japanese were killed during an attack on an energy facility, and terrorist strikes in India in the recent past, Kishida said that “terrorism is a real danger to Japan and India. Let us firmly confront terrorism.”

In the face of China’s military buildup and assertive behavior in the East and South China seas, Kishida urged countries to respect the rule of law and not to use force or coercion in asserting their territorial claims, and called for increased cooperation with India in the field of maritime security.

“It is important to further strengthen our cooperation through defense equipment cooperation including the US-2 amphibian aircraft and Japan’s continued participation” in India-U.S. maritime exercises, he said. “We should even more proactively assume our responsibilities to protect ‘open and stable seas’ under our special partnership.”

Kishida expressed determination to work with India, Brazil and Germany to reform the U.N. Security Council, especially as this year also marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. “In order to adequately respond to the rapidly increasing and evolving challenges of the 21st century, we must expand the number of both permanent and nonpermanent members of the Security Council to reflect the realities of the current international community,” he said.

Japan to play more active security role Kishida tells India The Japan Times

 

[irosie91]

VIK do you envision a Pakistan/China alliance-----against
a Japan/India alliance?--------seems weird to me

 

[Vikrant]

VIK do you envision a Pakistan/China alliance-----against
a Japan/India alliance?--------seems weird to me

China and Pakistan have been in alliance since 60s. It was Pakistan which acted as an intermediary between China and the U.S. when Pakistan passed the information to the U.S. that there were strain in China and Soviet and that Chinese were interested in meeting Americans. Richard Nixon dispatched Henry Kissinger to start a channel with China. Kissinger went to Pakistan first. He was taken to China on a Pakistani air force plane to meet Zhou Enlai.

As far as close relationship between India and Japan is concerned, it is a natural outcome given the geopolitical situation in Asia.

 

[irosie91]

VIK do you envision a Pakistan/China alliance-----against
a Japan/India alliance?--------seems weird to me

China and Pakistan have been in alliance since 60s. It was Pakistan which acted as an intermediary between China and the U.S. when Pakistan passed the information to the U.S. that there were strain in China and Soviet and that Chinese were interested in meeting Americans. Richard Nixon dispatched Henry Kissinger to start a channel with China. Kissinger went to Pakistan first. He was taken to China on a Pakistani air force plane to meet Zhou Enlai.

As far as close relationship between India and Japan is concerned, it is a natural outcome given the geopolitical situation in Asia.

oh----thanks ----I DID NOT KNOW------and I still find it a bit
weird based on------uhm ----personalities of the players to the
extent that I am familiar with -----Pakistani and Chinese --persons. As to Japanese and Indian socialization----also
weird. At least some Chinese are sorta Buddhist-----
and Chinese cuisine fits into indian (hakka???) -----but I cannot envision Indians eating raw fish---....without gagging
HOWEVER------the intensity fits------intensity. I hope it works out nicely balanced. Maybe the Japanese can mellow out a bit

 

[Indofred]

Finally a relevant post. I'm glad Japan is stepping up to the plate and taking some of the burden off the U.S. for their defense. It'll take some of the wind out of China's sails.

and put some wind into America's arms sales.

 

[irosie91]

Finally a relevant post. I'm glad Japan is stepping up to the plate and taking some of the burden off the U.S. for their defense. It'll take some of the wind out of China's sails.

and put some wind into America's arms sales.

jealous Freddie?

 

[Vikrant]

BEIJING: Riled by reports of the US sharing intelligence with India over movements of Chinese submarines in the Indian Ocean, China today said it would deploy "different kinds of naval ships" depending on requirements of operations and other nations "need not read too much into it".

Asked about reports that US is providing intelligence to India about movement of Chinese submarines in the Indian Ocean, Chinese military spokesman Col Yang Yujin told a media briefing here that China is de ..

Read more at:
China to deploy range of naval ships in Indian Ocean - The Economic Times

 

[Politico]

Good news

That.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Japan and China are ancient enemies. Mostly due to Japan as the aggressor (and what touched off WWII in the Pacific by the by.) Now Japan and the USA are friends if not allies and so the propagandists are trying to portray Japan's arming up as justified against the godless communist Chinese. But the Chinese have been the victims of Japanese aggression before so maybe instead of siding with our former enemies against our former friends we should learn the facts from history first.

 

[Moonglow]

Japan and China are ancient enemies. Mostly due to Japan as the aggressor (and what touched off WWII in the Pacific by the by.) Now Japan and the USA are friends if not allies and so the propagandists are trying to portray Japan's arming up as justified against the godless communist Chinese. But the Chinese have been the victims of Japanese aggression before so maybe instead of siding with our former enemies against our former friends we should learn the facts from history first.

It goes back much further to the time when those from China tried to invade Japan....

 

[Delta4Embassy]

Japan and China are ancient enemies. Mostly due to Japan as the aggressor (and what touched off WWII in the Pacific by the by.) Now Japan and the USA are friends if not allies and so the propagandists are trying to portray Japan's arming up as justified against the godless communist Chinese. But the Chinese have been the victims of Japanese aggression before so maybe instead of siding with our former enemies against our former friends we should learn the facts from history first.

It goes back much further to the time when those from China tried to invade Japan....

Oh aye, hence using the term ancient. Didn't mean to imply ancient is just 80 or so years ago.

 

[Jroc]

Good news

That.

They gotta start paying for more of their own defense. Ditto that with the European countries. We can't keep subsidizing their social programs by paying to defend them

 

[Roadrunner]

Japan means business.

---

TOKYO: Japan's Cabinet approved the country's largest ever defence budget on Wednesday, including plans to buy surveillance aircraft, drones and F-35 fighter jets to help counter China's rising assertiveness in the region.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet endorsed a nearly 5 trillion yen ($42 billion) defence budget for the year beginning in April as part of a record 96.3 trillion yen ($814 billion) total budget.

The budget must still be approved by parliament, but Abe's coalition holds majorities in both houses.

The 2 percent rise in defence spending is the third annual increase under Abe, who took office in December 2012 and ended 11 straight years of defence budget cuts.

Japan approves biggest-ever defence budget with eye on China - The Times of India

China has a huge score to settle.

I'd bet on China in any karma wars.

 

[Jroc]

Japan means business.

---

TOKYO: Japan's Cabinet approved the country's largest ever defence budget on Wednesday, including plans to buy surveillance aircraft, drones and F-35 fighter jets to help counter China's rising assertiveness in the region.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet endorsed a nearly 5 trillion yen ($42 billion) defence budget for the year beginning in April as part of a record 96.3 trillion yen ($814 billion) total budget.

The budget must still be approved by parliament, but Abe's coalition holds majorities in both houses.

The 2 percent rise in defence spending is the third annual increase under Abe, who took office in December 2012 and ended 11 straight years of defence budget cuts.

Japan approves biggest-ever defence budget with eye on China - The Times of India

China has a huge score to settle.

I'd bet on China in any karma wars.

Screw China, they cant even develop their own technology. They have to steal it..oh, and wait for crooked politicians like Bill Clinton to give them missile technology.

 

[Indofred]

I wonder how the US would react to Cuba giving China intel about US navy movements.

 

[Indofred]

Screw China, they cant even develop their own technology

True. they buy their fighter designs from Israel.
The stuff the US funded.

 

[Indofred]

When did Japan apologise for forcing little girls into prostitution?
What nice friends America hangs out with.