Japan wants to spend tens of billions on missiles due to threat from North Korea and China | Abroad

Japan wants to be able to eliminate enemy missiles before they are fired. To this end, so-called ‘counter-attack weapons’, in fact offensive weapons, must be included for the first time in the National Security Strategy, which until now has focused exclusively on defence. The acquisition of assault weapons is controversial in Japan, due to its pacifist post-war constitution. According to previous media reports, Japan is also considering purchasing cruise missiles from the United States.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s ruling party wants Japan’s defense spending to rise to at least 2 percent of gross domestic product over the next five years, in line with that of NATO member states. That equates to nearly doubling current defense spending.

North Korea recently, on November 18, launched another missile from the west coast of the Korean peninsula in the direction of Japan. It landed more than 200 kilometers west of the northernmost Japanese island of Hokkaido. North Korea has been firing missiles at an unusually high frequency since late September.

LOOK. North Korea launches missile that lands in Japanese waters

In early November, North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile, but its launch was said to have failed. Nevertheless, the alarm was sounded in Japan. Residents in several regions were asked to take shelter indoors. Although it was first warned that a missile had flown over Japan, the Japanese government later said that was not the case. The missile disappeared from authorities’ sight somewhere over the Sea of ​​Japan, Japan’s defense minister said.

LOOK. Failed North Korea intercontinental ballistic missile test