Japan is set to decide to possess the capability of striking enemy bases, as well as double its defense costs, in a drastic shift from its postwar security policy under its war-renouncing Constitution.
Japan's pledge to boost defense spending to 43 trillion yen ($312 billion) over the next five years has become a high-stakes gambit for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who has decided to push through tax increases to fund it.
Japan's ruling parties are set to approve a plan to raise taxes to fund a substantial increase in defense spending but will likely postpone deciding when to do so amid turmoil caused by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida abruptly floating the idea.
Japan is considering spending around 5 trillion yen ($37 billion) to develop and deploy long-range missiles from fiscal 2023 to 2027, government sources say, as the nation aims to possess an enemy base strike capability to address growing security threats.
Japan is considering almost tripling the number of units in its Self-Defense Forces equipped with ballistic missile interception capabilities in the country's remote southwestern islands by the end of fiscal 2031, a draft of the plan has shown.