Japan’s Cabinet approves a record $56 billion military budget to speed up strike capability

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s defense spending would increase more than 16% next year under a record military budget that is intended to accelerate the deployment of long-range cruise missiles that can hit targets in China or North Korea. The budget adopted by the Cabinet on Friday also will further fortify the military with F-35 stealth combat jets and other American weapons as Japanese troops take on more offensive roles. The 7.95 trillion-yen ($56 billion) defense budget for the 2024 fiscal year is part of a security strategy Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s government adopted. The reinforcement of strike capability the strategy envisions is a major break from Japan’s postwar principle of limiting the country’s use of force to self-defense.