Japan Self-Defense Forces' budget reaches $42 bn for 2015

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Defence & Security News - Japan
 
 
Japan Self-Defense Forces' budget reaches $42 bn for 2015
Japan's defense budget has reached US$41.7 billion for the fiscal year of 2015, China's newspaper Global Times reported on Jan. 9. Under the Mid-Term Defense Program, Japan's defense budget will rise 0.8% each year until 2018. By 2016, the defense budget of Japan is expected to exceed US$42 billion.
     
Japan's defense budget has reached US$41.7 billion for the fiscal year of 2015, China's newspaper Global Times reported on Jan. 9. Under the Mid-Term Defense Program, Japan's defense budget will rise 0.8% each year until 2018. By 2016, the defense budget of Japan is expected to exceed US$42 billion. Japanese defense ministry plans to buy 30 AAV7 assault amphibious personnel carriers in 2015
     
The last time Japan's defense budget was as high it was in 2002 when it reached US$41 billion under the premiership of Junichiro Koizumi. From that point the amount decreased, until Shinzo Abe began his second term as prime minister in 2012.

Singapore's largest Chinese language newspaper, Lianhe Zaobao, said that Japan is reducing the budgets of other ministries to concentrate on the development of its armed forces. The Japan Self-Defense Forces will use the money to purchase six F-35 stealth fighters, five MV-22 tiltrotor aircraft and 30 AAV7 assault amphibious vehicles in 2015, according to its original plan as reported by Tokyo's Kyodo News.

In addition, the increased budget allows Japan to purchase 20 P-1 patrol aircraft, an E-2D early warning aircraft and an advanced destroyer equipped with Aegis Combat System. About US$1.8 billion will be used to establish a military facility on the island of Yonaguni. For a potential conflict over the islands it currently administers as the Senkaku (Taiwan claims them as the Diaoyutai and Chian as the Diaoyu) with China, transport helicopters are needed for the country's self-defense forces as well.