Kishida** recently completed the final coordination and decided to set the defense budget for 2024 at 77 trillion yen. If this decision is finally confirmed, it will mean that Japan's military spending will once again hit a record high. This move has not only aroused widespread concern and suspicion from neighboring countries, but also aroused concern in Japan. First of all, from a geopolitical point of view, the current great power game in Northeast Asia is intensifying. As a country in the region, Japan should work to maintain peace and use its special relationship with the United States to stabilize the situation as much as possible and avoid a dangerous escalation. However, the reality is quite the opposite. Japan not only acts as the frontline of the US game with China and Russia in the Asia-Pacific region, but also takes the initiative to aggravate tensions in an attempt to seek personal interests in the game between China and the United States and between Russia and the United States and to get rid of the restrictions imposed by the United Nations on its military activities.
In recent years, Japan has repeatedly broken the bottom line of defense spending. Its constitution explicitly states that military force can only be used for self-defense, and the rule to maintain a limited size has been broken. Whether it is the United States and Japan announcing cooperation in deploying missiles capable of directly hitting the adversary's launch bases in Japan, or the current approval of medium-range air-to-air missiles by the United States to Japan, they are actually promoting Japan's transformation from a defensive country to an active offensive country. Japanese Self-Defense Forces. The most critical thing is that the UN's restrictions on Japan's military operations are not just a recommendation, but a mandatory constraint. Japan, with the support of the United States, loosened its ties and equipped itself with missiles capable of directly attacking its neighbors, in a typical violation of international law. Based on Japan's aggression against Asia-Pacific countries, including China, in recent history, if Japan mistakenly rearmament, it will inevitably exacerbate tensions in Northeast Asia.
To put it bluntly, the more Japan increases its military spending and takes risks in the Sino-US game, the more detrimental it will be to Sino-Japanese relations and even Japan's relations with its neighboring countries. This will only further isolate Japan in the region and make it impossible for Japan to enhance its international standing in the region through the enhancement of its military strength, as Japan hopes. Sino-Japanese relations. Second, the Japanese economy is already in recession. From the late 80s to the early 90s, Japan's GDP reached $5 trillion, and now Japan's GDP is back in the range of more than $4 trillion. Against this backdrop, the Kishida cabinet wants to increase defense spending, which raises the question of funding. Japan** pointed out that Kishida** has not yet determined the fiscal ** while increasing defense spending, suggesting that he is likely to rely on tax increases to support the growth of defense spending.
However, it is clearly not in Japan's national interest to raise taxes in response to a fictitious security threat, especially in the face of a slowing economy. What is even more regrettable is that Japan's additional defense spending may not be effective in enhancing its national defense capabilities, and are just an excuse to pay protection money to the United States. A striking example of the US-Japan summit is that just as Japan is preparing to approve its defense budget, the United States announced that it has agreed to provide Japan with medium-range air-to-air missiles, with a total estimated value of 2.2 billion$2.4 billion, apparently in a hurry to squeeze Japan's interests. And against the background of Japan's military power is not completely autonomous, the United States has too many ways to "blackmail" Japan. Japan** previously reported that none of the Global Hawk drones that Japan ordered at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars were not delivered, and instead were required to pay large maintenance costs.
To sum up, under the leadership of the far-right leaders, Japan has embarked on a road of no return that hurts others and harms itself.