Japan Considers Stockpiling 1,000 Long-Range Missiles

It’s reported on Aug. 21st that government sources said on Sunday, in addition to anti-ballistic missiles stockpiled, Japan estimates a need of about 1,000 long-range standoff missiles for Japan to defend against the Communist China’s growing military capabilities.
With increasing tensions in the region, Japan Ministry of Defense is ready to push forward by a year to 2024 fiscal part of its plan to extend the range of the Ground Self-Defense Force Type 12 Surface-to-Ship Missile, and to include associated cost in its 2023 fiscal budget request.

Sources said, Ministry is seeking for more than 5.5 trillion yen ($40 billion), a record budget, for the next fiscal. This amount could probably expand further after undetermined cost for about 100 projects are finalized.The Japanese government came to its estimate after researching the currently number of missiles and required budget needed to counter Communist China’s missiles, and based on the assumption that Beijing has a large number of missiles available to attack Japan.Missile framework and some material not yet being explicitly priced, will be discussed by the end of 2022 when reviewing the three security-related documents including National Security Strategy. The documents are scheduled to be updated by the end of 2022.For 2023 fiscal, the Defense Ministry’s budget request will exceed the highest-ever 5.49 trillion-yen budget set for 2021 fiscal, reflecting the desire of enhancing the nation’s standoff defense capabilities and unmanned systems including drones.

On Aug. 10th at a press conference, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the most important issue for the rest of this year is an overhaul of defense capabilities. In addition, he would “work together to keep a firm grip on the size of the budget and secure financial resources.”
Brief comments: The Communist China’s recent frequent military drills around Taiwan Island gave Japan the perfect reason to increase its military budget, and carry forward with its constitution amendment to become a normal country.