Anticipating China, Japan's Defense Budget Breaks A Record IDR 670 T: Buy Stealth Fighter Jets To Hypersonic Weapons

Gate of the Japanese Ministry of Defense Complex. (Wikimedia Commons/VOA)

JAKARTA - Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's cabinet on Friday approved a defense budget of 5.40 trillion yen or around Rp. 670.284.585 million for the 2022 fiscal year, setting a record high for the eighth consecutive year, advancing the development of new technologies in the face of military expansion. China.

The draft budget, including spending on hosting United States military bases, was up 1.1 percent from the current fiscal year ending in March, as Japan also boosted its defense capabilities against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.

The increase for the 10th consecutive year was largely due to a sharp increase in research and development spending, for which the Ministry of Defense had allocated 291.10 billion yen, up 79.60 billion yen, or 37.6 percent, from a year earlier.

The ministry will invest in game-changing technology, such as drones using artificial intelligence (AI), which fly in teams with next-generation fighter jets.

"As the security environment around Japan has changed at an unprecedented pace and is becoming increasingly severe, it is an urgent task for Japan to strengthen its necessary defense capabilities," Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said at a press conference, citing Kyodo News December 24.

The ministry has allocated 85.80 billion yen for the development of a new fighter jet to replace the Air Self-Defense Force's aging F-2. To this end, Japan will cooperate with the UK on a new jet engine.

It has also decided to spend 39.30 billion yen on standoff missiles to be launched from ships, planes and land.

Japanese military illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/JGSDF)

The missiles are capable of striking ships from beyond their firing range and possibly flying 900 kilometers, with officials saying they aim to deter Chinese naval activities around the Japanese islands, while keeping Self-Defense Forces (SDF) personnel safe.

"In recent years, there has been a qualitative increase in China's military activities. There are steps to improve their practical integrated operations and their ability to carry out missions," Kishi told reporters.

In addition, the ministry also allocated 127.80 billion yen to acquire 12 advanced F-35 stealth fighter jets and 10.20 billion yen for small and medium-sized transport ships to support defense operations on remote islands in the southwest, where the SDF has deployed or plans to deploy missile units.

Outlying islands include the Senkaku, which is controlled by Japan and claimed by China in the East China Sea.

Not only that, Japan has secured 52.00 billion yen to upgrade 70 F-15 fighter jets, a move that also aims to increase defense capabilities around Japan's southwestern island chain.

As its plans to introduce the US-made Aegis Ashore land-based missile defense system were scrapped, Japan has allocated 5.80 billion yen to modify radars for new ships equipped with Aegis missile interceptors.

As for outer space, one of the new domains, the ministry plans to spend 117.70 billion yen to carry out research projects such as detecting and tracking hypersonic glide weapons using a constellation of satellites.

The hypersonic weapon, already being developed by China and Russia, can glide at lower altitudes faster than ballistic missiles, and is more difficult to intercept with conventional missile defense systems.

While in the field of electromagnetic waves, the ministry plans to use 6.50 billion yen for the development of a "future rail weapon" that can fire bullets at high speed, to shoot down hypersonic guided missiles.

And not to forget, Japan is also setting aside 7.20 billion yen to experiment with technology designed to shoot down high-powered microwave drones.