Japan's cabinet approves record defense budget that aims to deter China; AP explains скачать в хорошем качестве

Japan's cabinet approves record defense budget that aims to deter China; AP explains

(26 Dec 2025) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVE: Gotemba, Japan - 8 June 2025 1. Mid of Japan Ground Self-Defense Force tank conducting annual live firing exercise ASSOCIATED PRESS Tokyo – 25 December 2025 2. SOUNDBITE (English) Mari Yamaguchi, The Associated Press: ++PART OVERLAID BY SHOTS 1 - 6++ “Japan's Cabinet on Friday approved a record defense budget plan exceeding 58 billion dollars for the coming year to fortify its strike-back capability and coastal defense with cruise missiles and unmanned arsenals as tensions rise in the region. The draft budget for fiscal 2026 beginning April marks the fourth year of Japan’s ongoing five-year program to double annual arms spending to 2% of gross domestic product. The increase comes as Japan faces elevated tension from China. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in November that Japan’s military could get involved if China were to take action against Taiwan, which Beijing says must come under its rule. Takaichi has pledged to achieve the 2% target by March and speed up a revision to the ongoing security and defense policy to further strengthen its military.” ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVE: Gotemba, Japan - 8 June 2025 3. Various of Japan Ground Self-Defense Force conducting annual live firing exercise ASSOCIATED PRESS Tokyo, Japan – 25 November 2025 4. Wide of Japanese flag outside prime minister’s office 5. Wide of prime minister's office 6. Wide of Japan’s National Diet Building STORYLINE: Japan's Cabinet approved Friday a record defense budget plan exceeding 9 trillion yen ($58 billion) for the coming year, aiming to fortify its strike-back capability and coastal defense with cruise missiles and unmanned arsenals as tensions rise in the region. The draft budget for fiscal 2026 beginning April is up 9.4% from 2025 and marks the fourth year of Japan’s ongoing five-year program to double annual arms spending to 2% of gross domestic product. The increase comes as Japan faces elevated tension from China. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in November that her country's military could get involved if China were to take action against Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing says must come under its rule. Takaichi’s government, under U.S. pressure for a military increase, pledged to achieve the 2% target by March, two years earlier than planned. Japan also plans to revise the ongoing security and defense policy by December 2026 to further strengthen its military. The five-year defense buildup program would bring Japan's annual spending to around 10 trillion yen ($64 billion), making it the world’s third-largest spender after the U.S. and China. Takaichi’s government plans to fund its growing military spending by raising corporate and tobacco taxes and recently adopted a plan for income tax increase beginning 2027. =========================================================== Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: [email protected]. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...