Japan Governments Approves Highest Defense Budget to counter North Korea

Tokyo Dec 23: In A move to Strengthen the Defense systems and to tackle the growing concern of the North Korea and increasing presence of China The Japan government had approved a record high budget for the fiscal year 2018.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government had presented a total budget of 97.71 trillion yen (USD862 billion) for 2018

# A record high of 5.19 trillion yen (USD46 billion) had been provided for Defense budget
# 730 million yen had been allotted for the introduction of the U.S.-developed land-based Aegis missile defense system.
# 44 billion yen for the purchase of upgraded missile interceptors with an expanded range, altitude, and accuracy.
# 4.7 billion yen was also secured to upgrade Japan's air defense command and control system to be better prepared for missiles launched simultaneously or on a highly lofted trajectory
# 62.2 billion yen allotted for purchasing the new Aegis Ashore system and other projects linked to missile defense.
# 78.5 billion yen to acquire six more F-35A stealth fighter jets
# 39.3 billion yen to acquire four more V-22 Ospreys
# 30 million yen for research into introducing Lockheed Martin Corp.'s Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile and Long Range Anti-Ship Missile
# 92.2 billion yen for building of two 3,900-ton destroyers of a new type, which can engage in diverse missions with a downsized vessel body
# 69.7 billion yen have been kept for the construction of a submarine.

Experts said that Japan had increased the Allotment for Defense in a move to Counter Attack North Korea as it has recently testfired ICBM missiles.